2 Ultralights Missing

[Keenaviator]

Not looking like it was powerline related at this time.More likely inflight contact...

Some pretty serious looking power lines in the background of the photo depicting the Drifter.

 

 

[biggles]

Some pretty serious looking power lines in the background of the photo depicting the Drifter.

Yes , may have led people to jump to that conclusion , but in reality difficult to see how you would make contact with the 220 kv lines with huge towers either side , even in adverse light conditions . Bob

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Police have now stated that the powerlines were not involved.............video link post 24......

 

 

[winsor68]

It appears from footage the Thruster broke apart before it hit the ground in two pieces. The Drifters wings appear to have been folded above the fuselage before impact. That doesn't explain the cause...

 

 

[alf jessup]

Going by the location of the aircraft and parts I would say they touched.

 

Only speculation though.

 

We will know soon enough I guess once the RAA investigators have inspected the aircraft.

 

That is of course if they let us know.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Got to agree with that if they hit the power lines they'd be a lot closer to them. Sad to see this. Hate to see something i built in a heap like this.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

 

The Drifter 25-0452 was my old Drifter which I owned and flew for eleven years in the area. She had been across that same ridge many times. She took me and my friends to Old Station a couple of times where I was happy to camp comfortably under her wide pod. Wayne Fisher took her for a fly at Old Station one year and announced her ' pushy '.........Always a very reliable and capable machine that loved to fly, and my friend Errol and his son Jeffery knew her exactly the same way. She didn't deserve this sad ungracefull ending after all the great hours she had given, and was still faithfully giving. Just the sheer number of rides I, and others had given in her was impressive alone, and numbered well into the hundreds over the years since she came out of the Boonah factory in 1995.

 

Errol had fitted a new Bluetop and she wore one of the last sets of Drifter sails manufactured by Wayne Fisher himself, so naturally she looked and flew great still . We shall miss her, she was one of Boonahs' finest.

 

RIP. ' Miss Adventure'

 

 

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

 

RIP .....friends and aviators Errol Young and Robin Friend..........so close yet so far.

 

(Errol preparing to fly yet another ride at Starke Field fly-in last year)

 

 

[alf jessup]

Maj,

 

I feel your pain and know what your going through losing an aircraft that was once your pride and joy which you washed, caressed, pampered and took pride in, bad enough to lose a pilot and a friend also.

 

I had the same feeling when my old faithful trike and a piece of history being the first ever XT912 build by Airborne went down in Tyabb last April taking with it the new owner I sold it to 14 months previously, the only saving grace for me was the machine was not at fault and she was performing perfectly right up to the point of impact.

 

It took me awhile to come to terms that the thing I had polished, pampered, patted and loved was nothing more now than a pile of twisted & torn mangled mess that claimed the life of another person.

 

It's like losing a pet and part of the family.

 

Alf

 

 

[flyerme]

Got to agree with that if they hit the power lines they'd be a lot closer to them. Sad to see this. Hate to see something i built in a heap like this.

Yes I had to look at the thruster reg!with the colour I first thought it was my lady 1.

Very sad news, condolences to the families

 

Thank you for the info Ross and understandably must be hard.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Maj,I feel your pain and know what your going through losing an aircraft that was once your pride and joy which you washed, caressed, pampered and took pride in, bad enough to lose a pilot and a friend also.

 

I had the same feeling when my old faithful trike and a piece of history being the first ever XT912 build by Airborne went down in Tyabb last April taking with it the new owner I sold it to 14 months previously, the only saving grace for me was the machine was not at fault and she was performing perfectly right up to the point of impact.

 

It took me awhile to come to terms that the thing I had polished, pampered, patted and loved was nothing more now than a pile of twisted & torn mangled mess that claimed the life of another person.

 

It's like losing a pet and part of the family.

 

Alf

Thanks Alf and all........very rough loosing two well like active pilots from our ranks I can tell you...we haven't had a fatality up this way for many years, and this ones' about as hard as it gets.

 

 

[pmccarthy]

I had a call from my Townsville-based brother last night, shocked to tell me that his friend Errol had died. These tragedies extend outwards like ripples and sadden many people beyond the immediate circle.

 

 

[farri]

Yes Ross! it is a tragedy. It isn`t only the immediate families who are affected by these accidents. My deepest sympathy to all those concerned.

 

You have said in your earlier post #25, that the RA-Aus Ops and Tech persons were to investigate the accident, therefore, I ask you, as our Far North Queensland area rep, to make the findings of the accident available to all RA-Aus members.

 

Frank.

 

 

[turboplanner]

Problem is Frank, this is a Police investigation, and they will not be able to.

 

 

[ave8rr]

It's an aviation accident (fatal) so have ATSB investigate and we WILL get a report!

 

 

[turboplanner]

It's an aviation accident (fatal) so have ATSB investigate and we WILL get a report!

That would be great, but i haven't seen any process where any of us can ask for that. However, ATSB have said they will investigate as many as they can. ATSB have a history of being very pragmatic and walking away from crashes where it could appear that the pilot simply broke regulations or did something stupid. (Not implying this was the case here at all)

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

It's an aviation accident (fatal) so have ATSB investigate and we WILL get a report!

cart meet horse......

 

ATSB is the sole determiner of what accidents it will or wont investigate......Where it doesn't investigate then the state coroner investigates through the police......RAAus involvement is by invitation of the police and / or coroner ( .......as such we are but one of many who contribute to a coroners report and have no authority (legally or morally) to report on our, or the greater investigation findings.

 

That's the law, and the only ones who can make changes to that are, in reality, the federal government changing the ATSB mandate to determine what accidents and incidents it investigates......in this time of intense fiscal government constraint that is going to require some significant lobby effort to change.....RAAus is up for that lobbying activity....but anyone who thinks things will change in the near-term is up for continuing disappointment in my own personal opinion.

 

Andy

 

 

[facthunter]

Having a fatal doesn't automatically bring in ATSB. The state police are the ones who have the authority with the inquiry. They don't have to use the services of the RAAus even, IF they choose not to.( I can't imagine why they wouldn't in reality.) ATSB spread themselves across all forms of transport, and operate under cost restraints. Nev

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

I spent some time with Jill and Darren this afternoon. Their onsite investigation is completed but still a lot of peripherable work to do. The Coroner is in charge ultimately of information pertaining to any fatal.

 

Jill and Darren were very impressed with the full cooperation and assistance given by local police.

 

And I was very impressed with the speed that they were on site coming all the way from Canberra. ( The following afternoon.) Jill told me as soon as the go decision was made, the office staff were a blurr arranging flights, accomodation etc. Well done all in very trying situation.

 

And my thanks to all who have expressed their concern over our loss up here, from all over the country. Locals here are doing all we can to support immediate family members at this sad time.

 

 

[farri]

So,what is the point of RA-Aus investigating the accident if they can`t determine the cause or causes, then pass the findings on to their members?...Doesn`t make sense to me!!!

 

Frank

 

 

[Blueadventures]

So,what is the point of RA-Aus investigating the accident if they can`t determine the cause or causes, then pass the findings on to their members?...Doesn`t make sense to me!!!Frank

I'm sure RAA will tell us what they can as soon as they can to enhance safe flying and operations. I guess that like with all investigations they are collecting and analyising plenty of information hopefully with a view to relesing the info as soon as possible. They certinally got to scene in good time.

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

So,what is the point of RA-Aus investigating the accident if they can`t determine the cause or causes, then pass the findings on to their members?...Doesn`t make sense to me!!!Frank

Knowing there is an issue and issuing , say for example, an aircraft advisory for aircraft X all component Y's need to be checked for A,B and C ........ is very different to saying for Accident X the Aircraft component Y failed thus causing the accident. We can clearly say the first but not the second, although if investigation showed a clear and present danger to our membership then I'm pretty sure if we needed to advise members why we were issuing an advisory then the coroner would likely support such a disclosure.....and if not we can still issue without saying why, in detail.....

 

Andy

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Frank, the Coroner is very specific about what can and what cannot be released on the case...sort of like releasing evidence prior to the inquiry. As explained by Andy above ..if something critical needs to be shared for the immediate safety of all , then it will be.

 

This was well demonstrated in the double fatality involving the Morgan Sierra that went into the drink down off the South coast. Darren did an excellent and difficult job there finding the cause and there was a immediate bulletin released which required checks on all similar aircraft.

 

I agree with you Frank...it would be great to know straight away what happened, but the country's laws don't allow it when a Coroner has control. I have already been chastised for releasing to much info (opinion) on this incident to the media ...regardless of wether it will turn out to be correct or not.

 

 

[Teckair]

I find these unexplained prangs quite off putting, they make me feel our sort of flying is dangerous.

 

 

[biggles]

Teck our pastime is inherently risky but we , all of us without exception , need to better manage that risk . What may first appear to be just " a few quick circuits "or " a short flight to a nearby airstrip" may turn out not to be the case , due to unforeseen circumstances . We need to display professionalism the moment we board the aircraft until it is back in the hangar . We should all be striving to improve our professionalism as pilots by reviewing our training notes and textbooks, asking for assistance if needed and remember ...... "A good pilot is always learning "