Light aircraft missing from Emerald, Central Qld

[rick-p]

Qld must have stupid laws. You cannot be charged for drink driving on private property if you are an owner operator - end of story. The only legislation that can bite you on private property is in regard OH&S & even then only in relation to employees &/or visitors. When I had my Gazelle crash on my own property I was surprised that the Police didn't want to breathalyze me given Air Legislation etc.

Hi Dex,

I know that's your opinion and you are entitled to have an opinion but any opinion needs to be grounded securely on all the facts and circumstances of the particular issue.

 

I think if I was you I would look at the laws of the state in which you reside.

 

I think now that in every State of Australia it is drink driving on any public road or elsewhere meaning anywhere else which was the case in QLD previously but the changes to the legislation removed public road and elsewhere from the relevant sections of the Act and it now stands at anywhere and everywhere.

 

Technically you could now be in your car or on a ride on lawn mower in your garage UIL and be charged.

 

Remember that the "elsewhere" refers to any private land that is used by the public such as service stations, sopping centres and common use driveways.

 

Rick-p

 

 

[fly_tornado]

the law would have been changed to reflect community standards. unfortunately, there are no votes in supporting farmers.

 

maybe you should start another thread about drink driving laws?

 

 

[rick-p]

Operating any machinery drunk is a bad idea. In this case QLD is leading the rest.

Yes it is a bad idea, it's stupid and irresponsible and down right dangerous buttttttttttttttt the law has to be grounded on principles in keeping with a person's rights as if we are stripped of all our rights then we will be nothing more than a police state and governments can do what they like with us.

Rick-p

 

 

[ahlocks]

Sadly Rick, that's what appears to be happening by stealth.

 

 

[rick-p]

the law would have been changed to reflect community standards. unfortunately, there are no votes in supporting farmers.maybe you should start another thread about drink driving laws?

I'm sorry if I got off a bit beyond the point it's just after nearly some 30 years in the law I seee this type of thing happening more and more these days.

Laws are being made that fall outside our usual thinking mode but the changes are not made known to the public and the individuals only find out when they get bitten.

 

My whole thrust was, what if the most recent tragedy was caused by something that was know to be a problem having occurred before but know one thought of making it public knowledge.

 

To lose a loved one or dear friend in accident is one thing but lose them when it was knowinly preventable is criminal, in my view, hence the need for those who take on the investigation of these type of accidents for them to ensure that the findings are widely publicised and made availabe to all who are interested.

 

Sorry no more posts for me on this topic as it isn't really appropriate here in this thread.

 

Rick-p

 

 

[ahlocks]

Well, I suppose the thread could be split, but that seems to draw crabs....

 

 

[turboplanner]

Yeah, but you're confusing the quoted situation where the only potential harm was to the property owner, with harm to a third party. Even there, other than the employee situation where Workcover need to be notified once a threshold of injury is reached, the police etc. seldomn show interest, it is up to the injured party to make a claim for compensation.

Yes Spin, there has to be an aggrieved party and he or she or their estates have to kick off the suit.

 

Many are not aware of their rights and don't do anything, so we aren't riddled with cases.

 

After being deeply embroiled in it for 25 years including winning and losing a number of cases, I don't have too much problem with it the lines are clear cut, so you just have to have a culture of go/no go.

 

If you look at it from the point of a victim who, say, falls into an unmarked trench and becomes a quadriplegic, if they are relatively youg, it will cost around $7 million to support them. If you put a barrier around the trench, they can't fall in, story over.

 

Sorry Dex, they can climb over your fence and still claim if something on the property is not safe (an electric fence without warning signs for a start).

 

 

[Spin]

How the hell did we get from a tragic accident to some ratbag interfering with Dex's electric fence? Mods must have gone into hiding after copping a spray earlier in the piece.

 

(Nope, not in hiding, just watching and noting that this thread has become self regulating, the desired result in any thread. The less we have to intervene the better for all concerned. Sprays aren't a problem, after all " a spray a day keeps the complacency away"........Mod)

 

Back on topic, has anyone seen anything which could give us an indication of what went wrong? I haven't been able to find anything more than the basics and no photographs of the crash scene. Uncomfortable feeling, along the lines of "there, but for the grace of God go I" - I've spent many hours picking through the ads and figuring whether I should bite the bullet and buy an aircraft. Not being in the plutocrat class, it would of necessity be something pre-loved.

 

 

[kenneth]

 

This is a complete shock!!, I was only in his office at the flying school less than 2 weeks ago.

 

I am the youngest pilot to graduate throught his flying school. Rob was a great instructor, mentor. his patience in teaching me to fly and his belief in my ability saw me graduate at age 16. Rob is a man of sober habits and saftey was his main priority. I remember speaking to him after Peter Friths funeral and he told me to always fly scared so that you were completely aware of what you were doing and of your surroundings.

 

Every time I was about to leave the aerodrome he would always say to me "keep the rubber side down, and left of the centre line" before we drove away. Rob was and will always be a special person to me in my life. I will miss him terribly, and so will all the people that knew him, especially all of his flying buddies at the Warwick airfeild.

 

My condolences to Lynne and family.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

 

that's the plane for sale with Rob talking to a buyer

 

 

[FlyingVizsla]

Back on topic, has anyone seen anything which could give us an indication of what went wrong? I haven't been able to find anything more than the basics and no photographs of the crash scene.

 

 

I posted a link to the RACQ CQ helicopter photo earlier in this thread. From 3rd hand information - Ian was buying the aircraft and Rob was giving him familiarisation training. They had spent the previous day training and this one hour flight at 3pm was the final session. How they ended up in the trees (given the vast fields of crops all around) suggests catastrophic failure rather than planned manoeuvres. They were both found in the aircraft. I have not personally seen the site and am only going on gossip circulating locally.

 

 

 

Sue

 

 

[Spin]

Thanks Sue, missed the second link - certainly sounds plausible from your description of the countryside.

 

 

[foxy]

what a tragic week for aviation. its sad to see a fatal aircraft accident, but horrible to have many in weeks.......condolences to all involved..

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Viz, I have refueled several times at Emerald during past travels (tend to go to the Dingo Roadhouse lately...no ASIC reqd) and you'r correct it's mostly cultivated countryside now. I just had a look at Google earth and if you head East off the main strip for about 4.5 nm it does indeed put you over the only patch of scrub left in the area.

 

I also would agree this one suggests a control or structural failure, but I wouldn't rule out hitting a Wedgee. A big wedgee hit on the cunard at speed would probabily rip the cunard right off, which would leave no elevator control at all.......just my spectulation of course. Obviously if something did detach, it'll be found away from the main wreckage. Failure of a tip-rudder cable on vari-ezes has occured before, and also has the potential to cause a loss of control....Sad indeed to loose another two good aviators....my heartfelt condolences to all affected personally by this loss................................................................Maj...