central coast

[lark]

Sadly, sounds like a bad one near Long Jetty on Central Coast NSW. Not much detail except in the water, think pilot trapped!

 

 

[JabSP6]

latest update from news. extremely sad news.

 

Two killed in NSW ultralight plane crash

 

ABC Updated March 6, 2013, 9:30 am

 

Two people are believed to have died in an ultralight plane crash on the New South Wales central coast.

 

The aircraft plunged into Lake Tuggerah about 200 metres off shore about 7:45am (AEDT).

 

Local police, the police rescue helicopter and marine police conducted a search for those onboard.

 

Rescue helicopter spokesman Glen Ramplin says a rescue swimmer has reached the plane, which is three metres under water.

 

"He was able to get down to the plane, but infortunately he was unable to get the occupants out of the plane," he said.

 

"I believe there are two people still trapped under water."

 

Mr Ramplin says police divers are on their way from Sydney.

 

Investigations into the incident are underway.

 

 

[TK58]

Interesting how these stories evolve in the first couple of hours. ABC's initial post said the pilot had been recovered but his condition was unknown.

 

Sad to see another 2 lost. It's turning into a really bad year.

 

 

[David Isaac]

Real sad, turns out they are locals from here on the Coast, cant say anymore at this stage. I had always thought trikes were relatively safe in a water landing ... sadly apparently not.

 

 

[Tomwantstobeapilot]

I just noticed this crash too. Very sad!

 

Unfortunately, this won't help convince my dad to let me start lessons. I'll keep an eye on this thread to keep track of new information.

 

Tom.

 

 

[jamel]

Very sad.

 

Please let there be some sort of worthwhile investigation, was it a structural failure? or was it a case of not being able to glide to safety?

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Short interview with a 'witness' on the 11.30 seven news. said engine was running fine and it decended in a turn into the water. Young local pilot and possibly elderly female as pax. No mention of weather HGFA or RAAus. Lot of speculation at this time.

 

 

[kgwilson]

Real sad, turns out they are locals from here on the Coast, cant say anymore at this stage. I had always thought trikes were relatively safe in a water landing ... sadly apparently not.

I thought this too. If it was a structural failure then perhaps they just didn't have time to loosen or unbuckle their harnesses. My deepest sympathy to their families and loved ones

 

 

[slb]

Real sad, turns out they are locals from here on the Coast, cant say anymore at this stage. I had always thought trikes were relatively safe in a water landing ... sadly apparently not.

Why?

 

 

[jamel]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/central-coast/joy-ride-turns-to-tragedy-after-microlight-aircraft-crashes-into-tuggerah-lakes/story-fngr8h0p-1226591695159

 

No prop left on it!

 

 

[slb]

Awful news - condolences to both families

 

 

[Guest Yampy]

Terrible news .. My condolences go out to the bereaved families ..

 

 

[crazy diamond]

Saw the news tonight and it was already on the back of a trailer, looked to be a yellow trike. Sad! What upsets me is there seems to be very little in the way of investigation, unlike GA with the ATSB...

 

 

[XP503]

Some reports suggest a spat came off and went through the prop! ScarY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

[crazy diamond]

Sounds nasty... maybe lost a spat and it went through the prop??

 

"Robert Pryor of Long Jetty was an eyewitness to the crash and said he saw "something like a wheelcover" come off the plane.

 

 

"Next thing it banked to the right and made a weird noise. Within 15 seconds it hit the water and made a noise like a semi crashing," Mr Pryor said."

 

 

 

[CrayonBox]

A spat wouldn't cause the crash though - only a loss of power and engine imbalance due to prop damage - and it's unlikely a spat could even go through the prop being so far to the sides. i guess it could under certain circumstances though (sharp turn and/or prop air-thrust intake). But gliding should still have been possible, and maybe that's what did happen, but they couldn't make land and ditched in the water.

 

I hope the correct details come to light soon.

 

This is the same trike model I own, so it makes you think!

 

Condolences to all family, friends and those that knew the pilot and passenger.

 

 

[turboplanner]

Gliding has been possible in 7 or 8 recent fatalities Crayon, they just didn't get control of their aircraft as they were trained to. Not saying this has occurred here, but you can't rule anything out just yet.

 

 

[Mark11]

Very sad news. Condolences to the family and friends.

 

 

[jamel]

A spat wouldn't cause the crash though - only a loss of power and engine imbalance due to prop damage. But gliding should still have been possible, and maybe that's what did happen, but they couldn't make land and ditched in the water.I hope the correct details come to light soon.

This is the same trike model I own, so it makes you think!

 

Condolences to all family, friends and those that knew the pilot and passenger.

But if the prop let go in a big way and broke the rear wires or went through the wing there wouldnt have been anything the poor guy could do.

 

 

[CrayonBox]

But if the prop let go in a big way and broke the rear wires or went through the wing there wouldnt have been anything the poor guy could do.

That is a good point! So maybe that is what happened.

How can a spat come off. I always preflight mine to check they aren't loose. Maybe the do go unnoticed?

 

 

[XP503]

I did notice the spats had vertical winglets on them, these type of spats blur the line between simple fairing and structural component.

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

Trike reality 101:-

 

Trikes glide! so do bricks!

 

I could be coming up on mid base and still at 1000ft and still go damn close to the mains on the piano keys on a circuit thats pretty conventional (ie you didnt need a WAC chart and a stopwatch to find your way about like some seem to do.....) in my Edge X with Streak wing..... On the 230 I could do the same thing with the piano keys....at the other end of the runway.....maybe...with a headwind.....

 

I was always taught the only water you flew over was stuff you absolutely knew you could glide clear of and given trike performance (low speed & relatively poor L:D) that wasnt much water.....

 

Putting a trike down in water is something trike pilots will almost go to any extent to avoid... if the wheels hit the water you'll go nose over...when the wing nose digs into the water the nose moves with great force towards the pod which pushes the rigid control bar with approx equal force into your chest and your ribs...... the control bar is serious aluminium tube and has in most wings significant flying wire bracing....so think one or more ribs may well loose that argument!

 

Those that have ditched and lived to tell from my recollection have dropped a wing tip in first and even then the trike and wing roll up into a ball that you have to try and escape from....There are a lot of flying wires on most wings to get tangled in as a result of serious wing deformation, let alone the helmet intercom leads and seatbelts and we have been told that there is a complete lack of understanding as to which way is even up for the survivors if they can get clear of the aircraft...........

 

So...all that said, thats just general trike knowledge and might or might not have anything to do with this incident. Its more a response to the suggestion that people thought they coped well with ditchings..... Its all availble if you google +ditching +trike and indeed has been discussed on this site before.

 

Apologies to anyone that the post upsets that was not my intent, however given that this site is for open and honest discussion for those that are or want to fly there is no sugar coating that can be applied....

 

Andy

 

 

[CrayonBox]

Thanks Andy, I have read much of that info before.

 

I record the news so that I can watch it later. I was able to watch the clip a few times, and in slow-mo when it showed some guy carrying the wheel spat that had separated from the aircraft. I was looking for any damage to the spat where the screws mount it to the brackets around the wheel. There was a reasonable chunk missing, which suggests it was ripped off when it hit the water OR may have been cracked and came of in flight as suggested...

 

"Robert Pryor of Long Jetty was an eyewitness to the crash and said he saw "something like a wheelcover" come off the plane."

 

...here: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/central-coast/joy-ride-turns-to-tragedy-after-microlight-aircraft-crashes-into-tuggerah-lakes/story-fngr8h0p-1226591695159

 

So it may be possible for it to have gone through the prop resulting in damage to the wing etc.

 

So - preflight check your spats for loose screws, cracking and weakness.

 

I would really appreciate knowing what happened. Are there more of these types of accidents waiting to happen. I guess that is always in the back of our minds, and knowing what went wrong is a big step to preventing it happening again.

 

 

[Tomwantstobeapilot]

So do we know what model the trike was? I missed the news last night so I'm relying on this thread and internet news.

 

Tom

 

 

[alf jessup]

So do we know what model the trike was? I missed the news last night so I'm relying on this thread and internet news.Tom

Tom,

 

I am sure it is a XT912 going by the photo's, not sure what wing though.

 

Alf