Microlight Pilot Dead following crash into electricity pylon.

[Phil Perry]

Microlight pilot dies after pylon crash near Rochester - BBC ...

 

Very sad RIP.

 

No further details yet, but if those buildings in the picture ar actually Hangars,. . .I'd be a little nervous with National grid stuff that close. . . . . I do not know the site.

 

 

[Head in the clouds]

Yes, very sad, RIP.

 

I once wondered how crashes like this might occur - wide open space, the only obstacle in sight. I saw a photo taken in the 1930s, it was taken from about 500ft with a fish-eye lens. It was in one of the Arizona deserts and there was nothing from horizon to horizon except a single tree. Entangled in the tree was a biplane. Apparently the story was that before modern navaids pilots transiting the desert were told to fly East to the tree and then turn left thirty degrees or whatever ... the story goes that over time three planes hit that tree due to object fixation.

 

I saw the object fixation phenomenon at work at a fly-in. It was in the 1980s and there was a hot-air balloon giving mini demonstrations by flying to 100ft or so tethered by a rope. The tether was located too close to the duty runway and although there was no risk of collision it did feel that the balloon was pretty close to the wingtip as you took off.

 

Not only that, but watching each aircraft as they departed, without exception they flew towards the balloon rather than away from it, it seems that if you look towards something you'll fly towards it.

 

I wonder whether O-F had anything to do with this pylon event?

 

 

[techie49]

That picture is nowhere near Rochester airport. The airport is in a built up area bounded by industrial units and also a very nice Holiday Inn. I used to fly into there from Leicester as it was quicker than driving to business meetings. Rochester is a lovely airport to drop into with grass strips, or it was 10 years ago.

 

Paul

 

 

[Phil Perry]

That picture is nowhere near Rochester airport. The airport is in a built up area bounded by industrial units and also a very nice Holiday Inn. I used to fly into there from Leicester as it was quicker than driving to business meetings. Rochester is a lovely airport to drop into with grass strips, or it was 10 years ago.Paul

More likely to be a private farm strip somewhere near Rochester. . . .you know the MSM. . . . no details from the BMAA just yet. . . .there was a trike versus pylon event before Christmas, but that one had a happier outcome. Phil.

 

 

[kasper]

Its Stoke Airfield at Middle Stoke Kent.

 

It is the airfield I flew from in the UK and the one i describe my accident/crash happening at.

 

It has been an active microlight airfield for over 35 years and this is the first fatality at the airfield in that time.

 

It has a lot of 'features' around the airfield that are not ideal but pilots have been operating safely from there for decades.

 

The non-ideal features you will see in the pics that will pop up around this crash are:

 

1. the runway is curved over its entire length

 

2. along the southern edge of the runway (less than 15m away from edge) is a raised sea wall(about 2.5m) holding the Medway estuary out - the runway is under sea level

 

3. along the northern edge of the runway (less than 10m away from edge) are a row of hangars (seen in pics of the crash)

 

4. immediately behind the hangars to the north is a raised railline

 

5. immediately behind the railline to the north are the 6 armed electricity pylons (seen in pics of the crash)

 

6. to the east of the runway end is a sewage plant and bog followed by tidal mud flats

 

7. to the west of the runway end is a boatyard and tidal mud flats

 

8. 1 mile of BOTH ends of the runway are power stations, to the east end there is also a container port

 

9. all land to the north of the power pylons is an RSPB bird sancturay/protected area so low flight not allowed

 

10. the airfield is under the control step to the London Southend so high flight is not allowed

 

11. it is a SHORT runway - its listed as 400m BUT there is a hangar on the end of 24 so its not fully usable length from that direction AND of course you have to be slow down enough to get around the corner in the middle of the strip.

 

Its a challenging airfield but is entirely usable with care.

 

And before people cry out about why the hell would you want to operate with all those problems/challenges and risks you have to factor in that its only 45min drive from the centre of London and its about the best you can get that close to London for the price - your landing fee is $4 if you are not a club member and for that you get a well maintained grass runway.

 

I am saddened to hear of the death and my thoughts go to my club members and friends flying there.

 

Detail of the airfield can be found here (including zoomable map)

 

The two videos linked to the runway approaches give a very good idea what its like to operate there

 

http://airfieldcards.com/index.php/menusierra/stoke

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Thanks Kasper. Very informative that.

 

 

[Birdseye]

Yes, very sad, RIP.it seems that if you look towards something you'll fly towards it.

Not seems, but a fact. Used to advantage in some secenarios, but fatal in others. One example of the negative scenarios is that in many road accidents a person hits the tree rather than avoids it, simply because they are looking at it.

 

 

[Head in the clouds]

Not seems, but a fact. Used to advantage in some scenarios, but fatal in others. One example of the negative scenarios is that in many road accidents a person hits the tree rather than avoids it, simply because they are looking at it.

Yes, I had a similar 'event' a while ago that really shook me.

 

A half-brick sized rock fell off a truck that was about 50m ahead of me on a freeway, it bounced low several times then made a high bounce. I watched it arcing upwards and found myself steering towards its trajectory. I must have been quite transfixed because I nearly guided it straight through the windscreen into my face.

 

At the last moment I swerved violently aside and it went very close past my side window. The chilling aspect came to me a second later when I realised I'd swerved without thinking and I suppose I might just as likely have swerved to the right in which case it might have hit my passenger instead ...

 

 

[OzBirdy]

Yep, if your lookn at it, chances are, youll hit it.

 

Look where you want to go, not at wot you want to miss.

 

Had a close call years ago, before my flying days.

 

Was compeating in the Fink desert race.

 

Bout 1/2 way down the track there is an old rail sideing, and the only thing still there is the water tank and stand, a very hard steal frame, on the outside of a high speed corner.

 

Theres a million things to run into along that track, but that tank stand looked like it would hurt the most.

 

I smoked past it at 160-170kmh, aiming the bike to use all the track and just miss the stand.

 

I felt the contact on the tip of the handlebar and thought ' sh1t, that was close'.

 

A ES mate of mine was standn inside the stand frame as i went past, and told me later that he heard 'boing ' as i touched it.

 

Just as well i wasnt lookn at it.

 

 

[Guernsey]

When I first met my wife I was roller skating quite fast around the rink and she was stopped in the middle with her friend; her eyes were fixed on me skating when she took off at high speed and accurately intercepted me, the impact was so great that we both fell in a heap on the floor.....and that's how we 'fell' in love. True Story.

 

PS Had she been looking to the side of me, she may have married the guy behind me.

 

Alan.

 

 

[Soleair]

I wrote off a motorbike through looking at what I wanted to avoid.

 

Some clown pulled a U turn from a static line of cars I was passing. He stopped when he saw me, leaving a gap just big enough for me to fit through. But I hit his car because I was looking at it instead of concentrating on the gap.

 

Bruce

 

 

[kasper]

Was going through my flying stuff over the weekend and came across my old membership card to Stoke airfield ... it shows the pathfinder on short finals to I think 24 ... and might go a ways to explain why we choose to not try going over the power lines if things are looking iffy ...

 

But honestly it does not look that scary when you are flying there

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Was going through my flying stuff over the weekend and came across my old membership card to Stoke airfield ... it shows the pathfinder on short finals to I think 24 ... and might go a ways to explain why we choose to not try going over the power lines if things are looking iffy ...[ATTACH=full]42695[/ATTACH]But honestly it does not look that scary when you are flying there

I remember Mike Whittaker regaling the tale about Eddie Clapham flying into a pylon upright in the mist whilst landing at his "Entertaining" little strip on the Severn Estuary,. . . . might go some way towards explaining why he always flies wearing his trademark gumboots. . . . .

 

We are currrently waiting for a planning decision concerning the erection of a large wind generator just to the SW of Otherton,. . .the wind sampling mast has been there for 2 years. Some of our club members are whinging that this is too close too the airfield, having the top of the proposed blade arc at circa 500ft agl. JESUS ! it's over a mile away ! . . . and if anyone wants to go flying in visibility which would preclude seeing that white monstrosity,. . . then they deserve all they get in my view.

 

I continue to be amazed at the number of "pilots" who regularly vist our site in conditions which are not even approaching legal vmc; using the great God GPS as a psychological "Crutch" then post their video exploits on bloody fizzogbook to show other people how stupid they really are. . .

 

Rant over,. . .normal service resumed. . . . . :-)

 

 

[kasper]

I remember Mike Whittaker regaling the tale about Eddie Clapham flying into a pylon upright in the mist whilst landing at his "Entertaining" little strip on the Severn Estuary,. . . . might go some way towards explaining why he always flies wearing his trademark gumboots. . . . .We are currrently waiting for a planning decision concerning the erection of a large wind generator just to the SW of Otherton,. . .the wind sampling mast has been there for 2 years. Some of our club members are whinging that this is too close too the airfield, having the top of the proposed blade arc at circa 500ft agl. JESUS ! it's over a mile away ! . . . and if anyone wants to go flying in visibility which would preclude seeing that white monstrosity,. . . then they deserve all they get in my view.

 

I continue to be amazed at the number of "pilots" who regularly vist our site in conditions which are not even approaching legal vmc; using the great God GPS as a psychological "Crutch" then post their video exploits on bloody fizzogbook to show other people how stupid they really are. . .

 

Rant over,. . .normal service resumed. . . . . :-)

Indeed. And at Stoke we can find the glass half full in most things ... a power station 1 mile off each of the runways are helpful on Viz ... if you can see the tops of both you have legal viz to at least circuit height

and when they decided to close the eastern power station they got planning permission to replace the station with 6 wind turbines ... suppose it was good to re-use the power lines and it gave us a slalom course to replace the 'do not hit the gas storage tanks the old station had. Then the arse fell out of wind power subsidies and they didn't get built ... so then we got a primary control zone put over the top to keep everyone on their toes.

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Update on the wind turbine I mentioned hereinabove. . . . I've just been informed that the project has very recently been suspended indefinitely, the reason being the reduction / removal of subsidy.

 

As I said, it was well outside our "Toy" circuit anyhow, and near to Gailey Lake wildlfe reserve ( They were major protesters btw ) We are lucky regarding Controlled airspace, the FL45 step to Birmingham being directly above. Watching "Heavies" passing overhead at 1500ft concentrated the mind whilst flying circuits at White Waltham though. . . .

 

 

[kasper]

Sorry - that's the Phantom on finals not a Pathfinder ... must wear the glasses more often

 

 

[Guest Howard Hughes]

Not only that, but watching each aircraft as they departed, without exception they flew towards the balloon rather than away from it, it seems that if you look towards something you'll fly towards it.

Object fixation works in cars too, must avoid that...oops, POTHOLE!!

This is why on motorbikes they teach you to "look where you want to be going" when cornering!

 

 

[pmccarthy]

Object fixation works in cars too, must avoid that...oops, POTHOLE!!This is why on motorbikes they teach you to "look where you want to be going" when cornering!

Is this a voice from beyond or were there three HH aviators?

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Object fixation works in cars too, must avoid that...oops, POTHOLE!!This is why on motorbikes they teach you to "look where you want to be going" when cornering!

Oddly enough, this procedure also works if you're cutting something with a stanley knife. . . .look ahead along your line where the blade is Going to go, not where it is. . . .

 

Luckily, the local Authority fixed many potholes in my road over the last few days, . . .who said constant emails, letters and general whinging doesn't work ?

 

 

[Guest Howard Hughes]

Oddly enough, this procedure also works if you're cutting something with a stanley knife. . . .look ahead along your line where the blade is Going to go, not where it is. . . .

I haven't had the need to cut too many people with a stanley knife, but if I do I'm sure that tip will come in handy!

 

 

[Phil Perry]

I haven't had the need to cut too many people with a stanley knife, but if I do I'm sure that tip will come in handy!

Hahaha. . . . Larf. I like it. You COULD use scissors . . . Have you never cut up a bit of carpet or cardboard to keep the water out of some leaky shoes Howard ? sheltered life.

 

Apropos of avoiding obstacles, that object fixation really can be a problem. . . my Daughter hit a road works cone a few weeks ago, which some larrikin had left in the middle of the road. Her partner said, "Watch that" so she did,. . .she turned left a bit and hit it dead centre ! ! Yes, you might think. . .probably a genetic trait, being related to me I suppose . . .