Pilot’s death will leave ‘huge void’
A wooden cross was erected on Sunday at the site where pilot Clifton "Cliffy" Pike (50) died in an aircraft crash last week.
Cliffy’s family and friends, including his wife Colleen Pike, erected the cross less than a day after the wreckage of the Rynfield resident’s aircraft was discovered in the Addo Elephant National Park – 10km north of Colchester.
Cliffy, who has been a pilot for more than 30 years, and a Benoni resident all his life, went missing on Wednesday, last week.
The pilot departed from the Springs Airfield to Margate on January 26.
He was to compete at the Western Cape Regional Aerobatics Championships in Mossel Bay, last weekend.
Cliffy left Margate on Wednesday (January 29) and landed in Port Alfred to refuel.
He then planned to fly from Port Alfred to Mossel Bay, but failed to land at his destination.
Cliffy was flying alongside pilot Rob du Plooy, in a separate aircraft, when the two lost contact with each other due to bad weather.
Police in the area began a search at 6.30pm, on Wednesday, when he failed to touch down in Mossel Bay.
Cliffy’s son, Wesley Pike, and stepson Brogan Shrimpton, flew to Port Elizabeth on Thursday (January 30) to assist the search party, which later included police, the military and friends of family of the missing man.
Colleen and four close friends and family members flew down on Saturday.
The wreckage of the Giles 202 aircraft was discovered by a military chopper after an extensive four-day search on Saturday (February 1), just before 4pm.
The bereaved Colleen was shocked when she heard Cliffy had died.
“I was numb, shocked and devastated,” said an emotional Colleen.
“We went through a rollercoaster ride.”
Colleen said her husband’s death will leave a huge void in people’s lives.
“It’s shattering; it’s heart-wrenching,” she said.
“He was larger than life and he leaves a huge void. He was the most positive, inspirational, generous, loving and kind person.”
She said her husband had a passion for flying and flew regularly.
Cliffy was the owner of Icon Bricks, in Springs, and was his wife’s business partner at Harvey World Travel, on Pretoria Road.
Colleen said Cliffy will be sorely missed by herself, his son and daughter Wesley and Kayley Pike, and step-children Bailey and Brogan Shrimpton, and many friends and family.
The widow said she is expecting hundreds of people to attend Cliffy’s memorial service at the Benoni Catholic Church, on Tuesday, February 11, at 11am.
Police have opened an inquest docket into the accident, which will be investigated by the Civil Aviation Authority.
