Plane Crash North Stradbroke Island

[Rotorwork]

Not Good

 

Fly Safe

 

RW

 

From ABC News

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-09/light-plane-goes-missing-off-north-stradbroke-island/6457498

 

A light aircraft believed to be carrying six people has gone missing off North Stradbroke Island.

 

A spokeswoman for RACQ CareFlight said its Sunshine Coast rescue helicopter had been tasked to a "search and rescue mission" about eight kilometres south-east of Point Lookout.

 

They had reports of a light aircraft crash about 11:30am.

 

The EMQ Helicopter Rescue has also joined the search.

 

Images snapped from a jointly-funded Channel 7 and 9 helicopter show what appears to be wreckage in the water.

 

However, there has been no official confirmation of any wreckage.

 

A spokesman for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said a distress beacon was activated about 11:20am.

 

An Air services Australia spokesman said a member the he public also reported a possible ditching into the ocean about 1 to 2 nautical miles off North Stradbroke Island.

 

More to come.

 

 

[Rotorwork]

Update

 

RIP

 

The pilot and sole occupant of an ultra light aircraft which crashed into the ocean off North Stradbroke Island has been found dead.

 

An Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) spokesman confirmed the aircraft was a two-seater and the male pilot was the only person on board.

 

He took off from Dunwich on the western side of North Stradbroke Island about 10:00am but his intended destination was unknown.

 

Earlier, a Queensland Police Service (QPS) spokesman said the crashed aircraft had the capacity to carry six people, but they could not confirm how were on board at the time of the crash.

 

At least four helicopters were taskedto the waters about eight kilometres south-east off Point Lookout about 11:30am after a distress beacon was activated.

 

Since then, images snapped from a jointly-funded Channel 7 and 9 helicopter showed what appeared to be aircraft wreckage in the water.

 

QPS said Water Police and POLAIR are also providing assistance.

 

An exclusion zone has been set up encompassing George Northling Drive and The Causeway.

 

Police said the incident occurred off shore, within three kilometres of the Surf Lifesaving Club on North Stradbroke Island.

 

They said it was not known what caused the crash.

 

An Air services Australia spokesman said a member of the public also reported a possible ditching into the ocean about one to two nautical miles off North Stradbroke Island.

 

 

[rick-p]

What's correct because we have competing statements still, one that it was an ultralight (showing a picture of a Chopper) and another still saying that it was a six seater?

 

And the beacon worked in this incident.

 

I'm sure that it won't be long before someone on these forums will be able to tell us all about it.

 

 

[red750]

Photo of wreckage from internet:

 

 

Debris spotted:

 

 

 

[shafs64]

Another one. how many weeks since the last pilot was lost.

 

 

[Teckair]

Another one. how many weeks since the last pilot was lost.

Yes it's a worry.

 

 

[DonRamsay]

Anyone know what sort of aircraft that is?

 

 

[Guest asmol]

It was a Howard Hughes - Lightwing SPEED model, unfortunately the second to crash into the ocean.

 

 

[ave8rr]

It was a Howard Hughes - Lightwing SPEED model, unfortunately the second to crash into the ocean.

Yes two into the ocean but the one off Sydney some years back may have been fuel starvation.

Also a grandmother and her grandson lost their lives in a similar aircraft on a cattle station in Qld a few years back.

 

We have never seen reports on these accidents as far as I know.

 

Condolences to this latest tragedy.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

6PM NBN news claimed it was a gyrocopter . Looking at that photo may be right.

 

 

[winsor68]

It looked like a Lightwing speed to me...

 

 

[dlegg]

http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/air-search-underway-after-qld-plane-crash/story-e6frfku9-1227348206330

 

This site shows a picture of a Zodiac CH601XL

 

I am appalled that another fellow pilot has not made it home, but also appalled at such false media reporting, creating false hype.

 

 

[rotor]

Firstly my condolences to the family and friends of the late pilot. Another tragedy!

 

To stop any speculation:

 

The plane was a Lightwing Speed-2000 reg 24-5183

 

The aircraft had been hangared at Tumut and was recently sold.

 

 

[webbm]

That reg matches the debris. :(

 

http://www.recreationalpilots.com.au/gallery/details.php?image_id=3834&mode=search&sessionid=b7e82fd4111ffa7169b067b36d827bf3

 

RIP and condolences to family and friends.

 

 

[jetjr]

News footage showed E24-????

 

Said it had new owner just few weeks

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Descriptive video footage on Prime News update shows definite fixed wing wreckage.

 

Sad to see.

 

 

[Camel]

News footage showed E24-????Said it had new owner just few weeks

I think the Speed had In-Flight Adjustable props which were affected by the CASA enforcement of no ASTM on those props therefore the "E" was required for experimental.

 

 

[rotor]

I think the Speed had In-Flight Adjustable props which were affected by the CASA enforcement of no ASTM on those props therefore the "E" was required for experimental.

Correct it was fitted with a VIP in flight adjustable prop and yes it was therefore registered E24. The aircraft did not exhibit the E ahead of the rego numbers.

 

 

[DonRamsay]

The one that went in North of Sydney a couple of years back was a fuel starvation issue. The aircraft floated - being a low helps in a ditching.

 

 

[Doug Evans]

 

This is the craft

 

 

[shafs64]

Have these aircraft had any issues. I did see one of this type at narromine NATFLY and haven't seen one since. are they not a popular aircraft?

 

 

[turboplanner]

They can if they run out of fuel Shafs, but what caused this problem is yet to be determined.

 

 

[Guest asmol]

From another group there has been mention of two double fatalities and one single fatality (yesterday) one was expected fuel exhaustion down towards Sydney, the other was some sort of accident on a property in outback Queensland.

 

The other group mentions there have been nine built (eight in Australia and one in the USA) and they were all originally registered as LSA aircraft but they were found to be nonconforming and were produced to the experimental LSA category. There are also several reports of many electrical issues (one causing smoke in the cabin) and doors falling off in flight and getting torn off.

 

One of the previous owners describes the aircraft as "challenging" but I don't know his level of experience because any plane is challenging to a pilot with only a few hours whereas it can be a pussycat at the hands of a pilot with 500 hours.

 

The same author mentions with these three that have been written off and the one in the USA which has been written off also that 50% of the fleet has had some sort of issue.

 

 

[rick-p]

Does anyone know if there was another accident about the same time in the same area because the reporting at first said a six seater and possibly 6 dead?

 

Or was it just another reporting stuff up?

 

 

[Guest asmol]

It was a stuff-up on reporting. The radar report initially indicated it was another plane because that plane lost radar contact or turned off their transponder minutes earlier and then another 3 aircraft were also very close, within a few miles of the accident aircraft so there was basically a lot of confusion when the epirb went off and they started replaying radar again. Its not weather related because i spoke with one on the pilots after he landed and he reported it as absolutely perfect weather, unlimited vis and no cloud, wind lucky to be a couple of knots and temps around 24-26. Its was just a perfect Autumn day in Queensland. The RA-Aus were on scene today starting their investigation but the wreck is like its been in a blender, the waves were not big yesterday but they sure pulverized the remains.