Ultralight injures 2 in Mackay

[CrayonBox]

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8537383

 

Two men have been taken to hospital after their ultralight plane crashed near the Queensland coast.

 

The crash is believed to have happened just before 6pm (AEST) on Sunday on a rural property in Marian near Mackay, police said.

 

The men, aged 20 and 21, were taken to Mackay Base Hospital with suspected spinal injuries.

 

The 21-year-old passenger was in a serious condition.

 

 

[Admin]

It was a Trike...hope they bounce back very quickly

 

http://www.recreationalflying.com/threads/two-hurt-in-ultra-light-crash-mackay-daily-mercury.47726/

 

 

[damo]

is it an Ultralight, a Trike...or maybe even a Gyro

 

http://www.dailymercury.com.au/story/2012/09/24/ultra-light-plane-hits-powerlines-injured-hospital/

 

 

[Mr Mal]

Trike - the pilot is the son of the owner of the land that has the Marian strip near by on their property with Mackay Sky dive. Would appear he was doing low level flying and collided with a power line as he was heading west into the afternoon sun. Guess we will have to wait for the final report - the passenger is very lucky to survive and very lucky first on scene knew first aid very well (he is a new member to RA AUS and flys at the same school I do), I hope the passenger recovers fully.

 

 

[FlyingVizsla]

A bit more of the story and a photo

 

http://www.dailymercury.com.au/story/2012/09/25/crash-witness-rushes-to-aid-of-injured-pilot-passe/

 

 

[Teckair]

A pity about the title of this thread "Ultralight injures 2 in Mackay"

 

The ultralight was not the cause of the injuries.

 

 

[farri]

G`Day Richard It`s more of a pity that they hit the power lines,in the first place!

 

Here`s another reason to stay well above power lines!

 

 

Frank.

 

Ps, I have permission from the pilot to post this photo, as a reminder to others

 

 

[kaz3g]

http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/2010/avoidable-accidents-low-level-flying.aspx

 

Kaz

 

 

[Teckair]

G`Day Richard It`s more of a pity that they hit the power lines,in the first place!Here`s another reason to stay well above power lines!

 

[ATTACH=full]19276[/ATTACH]

 

Frank.

 

Ps, I have permission from the pilot to post this photo, as a reminder to others

Hi Frank, that looks like Ronny doing a fruit bat impersonation, not very comfortable.

 

 

[farri]

Hi Frank, that looks like Ronny doing a fruit bat impersonation, not very comfortable.

 

Frank.

 

 

[Aldo]

Cavet: The pilot may have been attempting a forced landing following an emergengy (engine failure or such) and if that is the case then what bad luck and I hope both make a speedy recovery (I hope they make a speedy recovery in any case) or,

 

Here we go again - how many more people are going to be injured or killed (the pilot is one thing but the passenger is another altogether) breaking the rules. It is time that the authorities (RAA or CASA) started removing licences for 1, 2, 5 years or life for pilots who blatently break the rules.

 

It is time that instructors started bashing it into pilots heads that you don't fly below 500 feet (AGL) or you will loose your licence (or worse your life). In this case as the pilots father owned the land 250 feet may have been applicable, even if this were the case 11kV power lines are usually run at around 10 metres and I can't see any terrain around the area that would have these lines any different than normal.

 

The pilot may have had low level training and if that is the case the golden rules are be 5 feet or 200 feet off the ground (I'm unsure of the rules regarding passengers & low level flight).

 

It is time the aviation community woke up, if you keep doing dumb SH.T eventually you will come undone and kill yourself or worse someone else. We need as a group and individuals to keep telling people who break the rules that they are doing the wrong thing and they are jeopardising not only their lives (or others) but also recreational avaition as a whole and if they don't take any notice report them, you may not be popular but this is not a popularity contest it is about safety.

 

Teckair said:

 

A pity about the title of this thread "Ultralight injures 2 in Mackay" The ultralight was not the cause of the injuries.

It should have read "What was this idiot doing down here"

 

[Teckair]

Cavet: The pilot may have been attempting a forced landing following an emergengy (engine failure or such) and if that is the case then what bad luck and I hope both make a speedy recovery (I hope they make a speedy recovery in any case) or,Here we go again - how many more people are going to be injured or killed (the pilot is one thing but the passenger is another altogether) breaking the rules. It is time that the authorities (RAA or CASA) started removing licences for 1, 2, 5 years or life for pilots who blatently break the rules.

 

It is time that instructors started bashing it into pilots heads that you don't fly below 500 feet (AGL) or you will loose your licence (or worse your life). In this case as the pilots father owned the land 250 feet may have been applicable, even if this were the case 11kV power lines are usually run at around 10 metres and I can't see any terrain around the area that would have these lines any different than normal.

 

The pilot may have had low level training and if that is the case the golden rules are be 5 feet or 200 feet off the ground (I'm unsure of the rules regarding passengers & low level flight).

 

It is time the aviation community woke up, if you keep doing dumb SH.T eventually you will come undone and kill yourself or worse someone else. We need as a group and individuals to keep telling people who break the rules that they are doing the wrong thing and they are jeopardising not only their lives (or others) but also recreational avaition as a whole and if they don't take any notice report them, you may not be popular but this is not a popularity contest it is about safety.

 

Teckair said:

 

It should have read "What was this idiot doing down here"

I did not want to say that as I did not know the full facts of the case and did not know if the pilot was an idiot or why he was down there.

 

 

[farri]

It is time that instructors started bashing it into pilots heads that you don't fly below 500 feet (AGL) or you will loose your licence (or worse your life).

Having been an instructor (CFI) running my own flying school for 12 years, I know that an instructor can`t bash anything into anyones head! An instructors responsibility is to instruct and educate! Avoiding power lines is the responsibility of the pilot.

 

Flying at power line hight is the choice of the pilot! I doubt there would be any pilot out there who doesn`t know that power lines are dangerous and hitting them can kill.

 

Frank.

 

 

[Jabiru Phil]

Re power lines

 

My CFI did an engine out for the first time at an area near power lines, this was the spot I said I could land as it was a good looking paddock. He said have you seen the power lines?

 

Perhaps all instructors should do this in early training as I have never forgotten the valuable lesson learnt

 

Phil

 

 

[farri]

Re power lines,My CFI did an engine out for the first time at an area near power lines, this was the spot I said I could land as it was a good looking paddock. He said have you seen the power lines. Perhaps all instructors should do this in early training as I have never forgotten the valuable lesson learnt Phil

Phill, in my opinion, any instructor who is not making their student fully aware of the dangers of power lines, is giving pretty poor instruction!

 

Scanning the terain below and ahead for power lines, fence lines and any other hazard is crucial for a sucessfull forced landing!

 

If the engine stops suddenly, it`s better to have a mental note of where that power line/s or fence line/s are ! It`s too late when they`re staring you in the face and there`s nothing you can do about it except hit them.

 

As for engine failure! I truely believe that everyone should have a suitable safe landing area chosen,before the engine fails!

 

Frank.

 

 

[turboplanner]

Just an extra warning about power lines.

 

Passed some today hanging between hills with round visibility balls attached to the top line, BUT the lowest line was a smaller one nearly thirty feet lower and almost invisible

 

 

[Mr Mal]

Powerlines can be hard to detect - we flew into a strip that neither of us had been to before. We did the fly over twice (inbound and back across the strip) and listed out the hazards and the plan to address them. After landing safely and pushing the plane into the hangar I asked the other pilot with me if had seen the powerlines at the end of the strip 100m from where we came to a stop. The answer was no - the poles on either side were obscured and it was a single wire - very easy to miss.

 

This incident has all the hall marks of low level flying and skylarking - if this is the case these findings should be made public so that the public are aware that in this case the type of aircraft didnt injure anyone - the type of pilot injured someone.

 

 

[boingk]

Flight procedures as I understand them:

 

1: Takeoff checklist, checks, calls and taxi to runway.

 

2: Takeoff and CLIMB IMMEDIATELY TO 1000ft AGL.

 

3: Declare intentions (local area flight, heading to etc) and CLIMB TO CRUISE ALTITUDE ENROUTE.

 

What you would want to be doing below 1000ft I have no idea... I once saw some skylark in a drifterish kind of aircraft hooning around maybe a few hundred feet above ground level maximum as I was heading to Yass. That scared the hell out of me, as the craft was clearly being controlled in a dangerous fashion and was not in an emergency.

 

Anyway, hope everyone turns out okay from the accident and can give us the full story.

 

- boingk

 

 

[forexjohnny]

Flight procedures as I understand them:1: Takeoff checklist, checks, calls and taxi to runway.

 

2: Takeoff and CLIMB IMMEDIATELY TO 1000ft AGL.

 

3: Declare intentions (local area flight, heading to etc) and CLIMB TO CRUISE ALTITUDE ENROUTE.

 

What you would want to be doing below 1000ft I have no idea... I once saw some skylark in a drifterish kind of aircraft hooning around maybe a few hundred feet above ground level maximum as I was heading to Yass. That scared the hell out of me, as the craft was clearly being controlled in a dangerous fashion and was not in an emergency.

 

Anyway, hope everyone turns out okay from the accident and can give us the full story.

 

- boingk

If you really have know idea why anyone would want to be below 1000ft then perhaps you should exert yourself and get an idea.

 

I fly an aircraft that is designed to fly low and slow because that is where I want to be. My legal minimum altitude is 300ft AGL which is more than enough to clear all power lines and fences here. I have permission to fly below this altitude on a number of farms which I am intimately familiar with (seed and harvest them every year) and know where every power line and fence is. I still do not take this for granted and when I am low I am always on full alert and do not do this with passengers. I drag my undercarrage through the crops and chase roo’s and foxes all the time. I am never above 1000ft and mostly fly between 300-500ft. All of this I do legally and as far as I am concerned with relative safety.

 

You may find me a skylarker that is hooning as well but I call it living and because it does not fit into your idea of safe flying you should consider that I may find your style of flying no safe either. What I do consider is each to his own and as long as it within the law then live and let live. Danger is everywhere, including at 1000ft and above. Try to see things from other peoples point of view and back off the attitude.

 

Declare intentions and CLIMB TO CRUISE ALTITUDE ENROUTE……….Really?

 

I do not carry a radio and am not enroute to anywhere most of the time……Legally!

 

John

 

 

[turboplanner]

I'm moving up there NOW. I'd LOVE to be able to grow 300 foot crops!

 

 

[ianwells]

Well said Forexjohnny. Low and slow is FUN and we do it for recreation, the joy of flying. Low and slow is where the AUF came from (remember them?) Hangliders with lawn mower engines skiming the tops of the trees.

 

I Can't believe a "Drifterish" aicraft would be Hooning I Can barely get 60 knots out of mine in full dive, hardly hooning at that speed!!!!

 

But yes when low and slow do WATCH OUT FOR THE POWER LINES. Every house, shed, building WILL have one so beware.

 

I have heard that both people injured in this event are recovering and out of hospital.

 

Have FUN but fly Safe.

 

Ian

 

 

[boingk]

Sorry everyone, didn't mean to get any knickersin a knot - merely stating an opinion.

 

If you want to fly low, are legally allowed to do so and are awar eof the dangers then by all means enjoy it. Personally I like my altitude and airspeed - when you run out of both you start having problems around here as the terrain is somewhat unforgiving. I'm probably also showing my GA trained [read 'cautious'] backgound here.

 

Now, lets get back to planning our weekend flights - be they low, high, fast, slow or otherwise!

 

 

[Aldo]

John

 

I think you may have missed the context of this thread, a low time new pilot was taking a mate of his for a ride down low and dangerous - hit a power line - both in hospital (unsure as to the outcome of their well being). This is not how you learn - well maybe he has and won't do it again for a long time. You may be trained and you may have a million hours at low level but that is different to the guy in this thread.

 

I have permission to fly below this altitude on a number of farms which I am intimately familiar with (seed and harvest them every year)

I guess you have an AOC and CPL as last time I looked CASA didn't look too kindly on people making a living out of avaition without have all the correct credentials.

 

I do not carry a radio and am not enroute to anywhere most of the time……Legally!

Not carrying a radio is dangerous (you may not be legally required to carry one but anyone who doesen't is a fool) - other people may be using the same airspace you are in.

 

 

[ianwells]

Aldo

 

I think you may have missed the context of John's post. I dont really think that he was actually SEEDING and HARVESTING from his Aerochute????????

 

"Not carrying a radio is dangerous (you may not be legally required to carry one but anyone who doesen't is a fool)"

 

I take it that this is in your opinion only as there are many people out there without radios flying perfectly safely, Its a BIG country.

 

Besides I doubt anyone else will be flying in the same airspace as John as he flies up and down at 20 feet, draging a plow behind him getting the soil ready for seeding.

 

 

[Aldo]

there are many people out there without radios flying perfectly safely, Its a BIG country

It is my opinion and no doubt this is your opinion, I don't believe it is safe - being totally oblivious to what is going on around you and if you think that you can see any other aircraft in your vacinity then you really do have your head up your backside (unless of course you live in the middle of the Simpson desert) but your location doesn't seem to indicate that and I'm sure there is more than one or two a/c around the Whitsundays.

 

I'm also fully aware of what the old AUF regs said, but we have moved on from there and now the law says that you are not allowed fly lower than 500' unless you have permission to fly over a property and then only down to 250'. The only time you are able to go lower than that is if you are in training or working.

 

If what you want is for CASA to take over RAA then keep doing the dumb sh.t flying around at 20' (power line height- you might eventually hit one) and you will get your wish. I assume that most people on this site like the limited CASA intervention in RAA but if we keep flaunting the regs that will surely change.