Facts: - servicenumber: 70388129pe - death date: 9 june 1976 -lrb- age 20/21 -rrb- - allegiance: south africa - rank: 2nd lieutenant - awards: honoris crux - birth date: 1955 - unit: 4 squadron saaf - name: kevin roy winterbottom - branch: south african air force - death place: pretoria , south africa - birth place: pretoria , south africa Based on these bullet points, write a short biography describing the life of kevin winterbottom .
kevin roy winterbottom -lrb- 1955 to 9 june 1976 -rrb- was a south african air force -lrb- saaf -rrb- pilot who chose to avoid crashing his stricken impala jet aircraft in the monument park suburb of pretoria by remaining with his aircraft to the end .he was posthumously awarded the 25th honoris crux decoration for bravery , the first such award for gallantry outside battle .the hc was at the time south africa 's highest military decoration that could be awarded in peacetime .