Pilot Rego Burger (53), who is lucky to survive, says he took off at PE Airport at around 11.15 on a test flight in an X-294 Motorglider.
He says he was over the Lady Slipper area when he had instantaneous oil pressure failure which, leading to engine failure and a cabin fire.
Burger says he glanced over to the right and saw a field.
He picks up the story.
"I was busy with a test flight in an X294, non-type certified aeroplane. I took off from Port Elizabeth Airport at approximately 11.15am (Fri).
"I was routing via Seaview to Lady Slipper and the Port Elizabeth general flying area to conduct further test flights on this aircraft. It was on a test flight programme when I had instantaneous oil pressure failure."
"The engine then failed within a few seconds after that and then had an engine fire when the smoke was coming into the cabin. I glanced out on the right hand side of the wing and saw a field just to the east of Lady Slipper. I then proceeded to glide the aeroplane the best of my ability to this field."
"But, the smoke in the cockpit was too much to have decent forward vision so I ended up colliding with an electric pylon with my left wing. That spun me violently in a rotating cartwheel in a lateral position. It was so violent that it actualy threw my spectacles off. So, I couldn't see with the smoke and without my spectacles where the canopy latches were but I felt for them, pulled the canopy latches open, grabbed a few personal belongings and ran out as quick as possible and watched it burn."
"The pain is starting to come now from the cartwheel effect. I've got some slight pains on my right back area, obviously from the G-force from spinning. Otherwise, no cuts, no bruises, no broken bones. It's quite a miracle otherwise."
