Aircraft missing, Lake Eyre

[Rotorwork]

Hope for positive news

 

Fly Safe

 

RW

 

From ABC

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-06/search-outback-missing-small-aircraft/7069854

 

Outback search for missing ultralight plane in remote Lake Eyre region

 

Updated 7 minutes ago

 

PHOTO: The scenic flight disappeared in the remote Lake Eyre region on Tuesday. (ABC News)

 

MAP: Marree 5733

 

A search has started for a missing single-engine ultralight aircraft in the South Australian outback.

 

Two men were on board the scenic flight which failed to arrive at Marree before sunset on Tuesday, police said.

 

Authorities said the search would focus on the remote 5,000 square-kilometre Lake Eyre region in the state's north-east.

 

About six aircraft were expected to join another already searching the wide region.

 

Star Force police also are heading to the area to assist with the effort.

 

Local charter pilot Trevor Wright said a helicopter had now arrived at William Creek to assist with the search.

 

"A plane left Marree to go over Lake Eyre apparently on a scenic flight and I got a call from police around midnight chasing it up," he said.

 

"We've just had the retrieval helicopter come into William Creek and we're just about to refuel him so he's ready to go."

 

 

[bushcaddy105]

A Technam Eaglet according to ABC Local radio report this morning

 

 

[Cosmick]

Found safe

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-06/light-plane-found-with-two-men-rescued/7070342

 

 

[kaz3g]

Does anyone know where it's from, please?

 

Kaz

 

 

[Pilot_CP]

Plane, pilot and pax found - only minor injuries suffered.

 

 

[ev17ifly2]

Did they activate a beacon ?

 

 

[Rotorwork]

Not sure.

 

From the ABC report above

 

A passing airliner picked up a mayday call from the men on the ground," said Dan Glover from the authority

 

 

[kaz3g]

Rotax engine failure according to media.

 

Fuelled up at Maree also according to media...been very wet there.

 

Kaz

 

 

[Oscar]

Can't have been a Rotax engine failure, that doesn't happen.

 

 

[pmccarthy]

Only if the fuel stops flowing, otherwise they are indestructible.

 

 

[shafs64]

It must of been a Jab. lets see how good the fishing is.

 

 

[Oscar]

Well, OBVIOUSLY! The damn fuel stops flowing when the engine-driven fuel pump stops because the engine isn't going around and around anymore.

 

Like Peter Brock's 'electrical failure' at Bathurst, when the broken con-rod pushed the alternator off the block...

 

 

[Derby]

Only if the fuel stops flowing, otherwise they are indestructible.

What planet are you from Ho Ho Jabs for ever

 

 

[Rotorwork]

From ABC

 

A passenger rescued from a light plane which crash landed near Lake Eyre in the remote South Australian outback says he feels lucky to be safe and well.

 

Ben Francis and pilot Darryl Koch were returning from a scenic flight over the lake when engine failure forced the sudden landing.

 

Mr Francis said there was no time to make a decision and they needed to ditch the plane.

 

Not knowing whether anyone knew we were out there was probably our biggest concern.

 

Ben Francis

 

"All it was, was getting the plane on the ground in a safe formation and to his credit, Darryl did that," he said.

 

"That was the biggest thing I think, the fact that we were both not injured and yeah, able-bodied."

 

Mr Francis said it was a slightly bumpy landing but they were both safe.

 

"[it was] just on a stony rise ... it was a little bit soft after the recent rains up here so it pulled up pretty quick," he said.

 

"We jumped out because we thought we might have had a fire and thankfully we didn't.

 

"Then after that we went through the process of getting the ELT [emergency locator transmitter] to work, so they could find our location and went about making ourselves comfortable basically for the night ahead."

 

PHOTO: Mr Francis said the pair had a bumpy landing. (ABC News)

 

The duo spent the night sleeping on their plane seats, in between scanning channel frequencies.

 

"Not knowing whether anyone knew we were out there was probably our biggest concern and also thinking about our loved ones back home," Mr Francis said.

 

"Obviously there were going to know that we were out there somewhere and yeah, that was our main concerns.

 

PHOTO: Marree's only police officer Tom Christley and Rebecca Turner from the Marree Hotel both helped with the search. (ABC News: Tom Fedorowytsch)

 

"All night it was quite warm so we didn't have any exposure dramas or anything."

 

As dawn broke Mr Francis said they heard some aircraft activity in the area and knew a search was underway.

 

"We just kept scanning the channels for local frequency, every now and then we'd just switch it on and make a call," he said.

 

The pair set fire to a tyre and the smoke was spotted by local tourism pilot Trevor Wright, who made radio contact with the helicopter that picked the men up.

 

"Darryl was actually walking back from going to get some water ... so he was happy to hear the news when he got back too," Mr Francis said.

 

He said given the circumstances, they were lucky to be uninjured and safe.

 

"[There was] relief that we're all safe and well and our families all know that we're well," he said.

 

Emergency highlights need for better mobile coverage

 

Tourists have been flocking to Lake Eyre to see the usually dry salt pan filling with water.

 

Mr Wright said the emergency highlighted the need for better mobile coverage in outback areas, and wants government to help with improvements.

 

PHOTO: Downpours in South Australia's outback in recent days have led to Lake Eyre filling. Photo taken January 2, 2016. (Supplied: Trevor Wright)

 

"We've had four search and rescues in four weeks. Two of them were [for people from] overseas, two were Australian. The longest one went for 30 hours," he said.

 

"Had we had mobile phone coverage or towers with data, the chances are with the communications, we would have picked up a lot of them quicker and made the exposure to risk a lot less."

 

But Mr Wright praised the efforts of the pair, saying they had done everything by the book.

 

"They did a great job. When you have a catastrophic engine failure at 2,000 feet you don't have a lot of time to think about things," he said.

 

"They went through their checks, they landed in an area that was safe."

 

Rebecca Turner from the Marree Hotel said while the region was remote, people would be safe if they came prepared, which the duo had done.

 

"We always encourage people to travel with lots of water, make sure that they've got appropriate communications, there's lots of different devices you can use to track where you are," she said.

 

"[We're] always relieved when we know people are safe and well and it's the best outcome for everyone concerned."

 

From other news sites:

 

 

[pmccarthy]

A great outcome.

 

 

[Happyflyer]

Did they activate a beacon ?

New report quotes them as turning an ELT on but it doesn't seem to have done its job. It would be interesting to know why.

 

 

[cooperplace]

yes, I was thinking the same thing. An ELT is cheap and they probably would have had one.

 

 

[Litespeed]

One of the searchers stated "catastrophic engine failure"

 

so that seems to rule out fuel problems.

 

I could be a case of it throwing out its through bolt/s and losing a cylinder- possibly.

 

Given we have already seen some instances of failed through bolts on the rotax 9 series.

 

Time will tell.

 

Naturally some will claim this impossible because it is a rotax.

 

If it was a Jabiru- plenty would scream about how bad they are before knowing anything.

 

I look forward t hearing the truth behind the failure.

 

Glad they are all ok.

 

 

[skeptic36]

I could be a case of it throwing out its through bolt/s and losing a cylinder- possibly.

 

If it was a Jabiru- plenty would scream about how bad they are before knowing anything.

I was going to say something..... But no, I've got nothing.

 

 

[Robbo]

New report quotes them as turning an ELT on but it doesn't seem to have done its job. It would be interesting to know why.

Same as MH370 expired!!

 

 

[rankamateur]

Naturally some will claim this impossible because it is a rotax.If it was a Jabiru- plenty would scream about how bad they are before knowing anything.

Did type a post this morning about a Rotax imitating a Jab, but self censored before pressing post just for your benefit. Have more faith!

 

 

[ev17ifly2]

Agr

 

New report quotes them as turning an ELT on but it doesn't seem to have done its job. It would be interesting to know why.

Agree, I just wondered why the rescuers were searching a 5000kl square area. How accurately does an ELT locate your position .

 

 

[rankamateur]

Same as MH370 expired!!

Did you mean "Same as MH370 expired!!" or "Same as MH370 expired??"

 

Do you know it was expired?

 

 

[Robbo]

Did you mean "Same as MH370 expired!!" or "Same as MH370 expired??"Do you know it was expired?

Hmmm elt may have expired, I have seen a lot of aircraft with flat elt's

 

 

[rankamateur]

Hmmm elt may have expired, I have seen a lot of aircraft with flat elt's

Apparently labels are no longer issued for current PLBs so you have to have an app on your phone now to prove your unit is current if you get a ramp check. My label expired but the unit still had over five years to run, I had to ring to get a current label issued about twelve months ago, so these changes must have been about to come in then.