Post journalist's abysmal incident reports here

[old man emu]

I thought it might be amusing to collect journalist's abysmal incident reports into an archive.

 

Here's one from England.

 

Google - Light aircraft crashes in field near A1 - Peterborough Telegraph

 

OME

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Not really a mistake, but one of my pet peeves: Commercial television newsreaders regularly showing their ignorance of the very region they profess to serve. Country people get a bit cross when the only time their little town gets mentioned, the network can't even be bothered to ring up and check how to pronounce the damned name!

 

 

[red750]

..... Country people get a bit cross when the only time their little town gets mentioned, the network can't even be bothered to ring up and check how to pronounce the damned name!

One of the most frequently mispronounced is Warrnambool, usually pronounced as Warnerbool. Weather announcers do it regularly.

 

 

[Guernsey]

Report from Adelaide.

 

A computer is said to have crashed in a family home. Neighbours reported hearing loud screams however, no injuries were reported.

 

CASA were alerted by the local press but they claimed that they were not interested. .

 

Alan the unforgiveable. .

 

 

[Guernsey]

One of the most frequently mispronounced is Warrnambool, usually pronounced as Warnerbool. Weather announcers do it regularly.

Some also have trouble with Coober Pedy calling it Cooper Pedy. They don't even know the meaning of the name.

 

Alan.

 

 

[biggles]

Some also have trouble with Coober Pedy calling it Cooper Pedy. They don't even know the meaning of the name.

Alan.

I do .... now !

 

 

[Bats]

The photo of the aircraft standing on it's wheels is a little misleading - the report states that it was found standing on its nose in the field and the state of the prop tends to bear that out. I think if I parked my Tiger on its nose, I'd probably admit to crashing it.

 

 

[Flying Officer Kite]

The photo of the aircraft standing on it's wheels is a little misleading - the report states that it was found standing on its nose in the field and the state of the prop tends to bear that out. I think if I parked my Tiger on its nose, I'd probably admit to crashing it.

... and wouldn't you think that even the most junior/uninformed hack reporter would have been able to identify one of the most recognizable historic aircraft in the world? On the other hand, at least he didn't call it a Cessna. And it's reassuring to know there was "no disruption to the roads".

- Mike

 

 

[facthunter]

I've NO idea what COOBER means BUT I've always got the spelling correct. What's a pedy also? Gawd it's a hot place and every hole you stop near has got somebody selling opals. Bulahdelah gets them. Nev

 

 

[dsam]

My pet peeve is when the journalist can't differentiate between engine failure and a wing being "stalled". This happens typically after the journo interviews a knowledgeable aviator at the scene, and doesn't try to clarify the misunderstanding before reporting.

 

 

[cooperplace]

you could try ringing up the journalist, in a nice way, and educating them. Seriously. I talk to journalists all the time; they are only human.

 

You run the risk of them calling you every time they have an aviation question, but wouldn't you prefer that?

 

Most journalists would love to have an aviation expert on their speed-dial list.

 

 

[Birdseye]

Most journalists would love to have an aviation expert on their speed-dial list.

Umm, I should offer my services to the "West Australian" aviation correspondent.

 

 

[Guernsey]

I've NO idea what COOBER means BUT I've always got the spelling correct. What's a pedy also? Gawd it's a hot place and every hole you stop near has got somebody selling opals. Bulahdelah gets them. Nev

Coober Pedy aboriginal for white man's hole in the ground.

 

Alan.

 

 

[facthunter]

Well there's certainly plenty of them. Coobers pedy or coober pedys? What's aboriginal for lots of white men's holes in the ground? Probably the same word for disaster. Nev

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

Apparently there are places in Australia called "get f****d white feller"

 

The mapmaker made the mistake of asking his Aborinal guide what the place was called and then writing down the answer on his map.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

What's aboriginal for lots of white men's holes in the ground?

Dunny.

 

 

[cooperplace]

Umm, I should offer my services to the "West Australian" aviation correspondent.

yes, well, we all think he could do with some help. I'm told that particular aviation expert is not even a pilot, nor an aeronautical engineer, LAME, ATC, or any other form of aviation trained person we can think of. But he is still an aviation expert; we know this because it says so in the papers.

 

 

[PapaFox]

Here's one from an aviation news site. They can't even get it right

 

Resting its wings

 

 

[old man emu]

Oh my gawd! Not even Google can get it right

 

Images for Cessna T-34 Mentor

 

 

[red750]

I wouldn't worry too much about Google, it searches each word individually. So search four engined jet, and you will get Avro Lancaster (four engined) t-38 Talon (jet), many turbo props, etc.

 

 

[hihosland]

"four engine" + jet

 

into the google search will eliminate Lancasters, A37s, and Dreamliners

 

 

[Admin]

Watching the chanel 7 news during the morning of the Essendon accident yesterday I was very impressd with the Melbourne reporter. He was able to be specific on aircraft types when talking about the history of accidents at Essendon and elements of actual flying making me think he had flying experience. He also very clearly stated the the airport was there first and planners need to give very clear thought to the building around airports to allow pilots to have options should things go wrong. Very impressed.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

... unlike the Channel Seven expert just after the incident;

 

"The Beechcraft is a single engined aircraft, and it may have been a pilot error, or it may have been a mechanical failure".

 

 

[red750]

... unlike the Channel Seven expert just after the incident;"The Beechcraft is a single engined aircraft, and it may have been a pilot error, or it may have been a mechanical failure".

I wonder if it was the same expert who said while reading the report on the L39 incident at Bankstown, "A MiG joyflight or similar aircraft has..."

 

In a report on the Yahoo 7 web page, they correctly identify the plane, "The jet is a L39 Albatross (Czech) VH-KVZ, a 1976 fighter trainer."

 

On The Australian website, they make reference to the Essendon accident with this comment:

 

"The crash landing occurred only days after five American tourists on a golfing tour were killed after their chartered plane crashed at the airport into Essendon DFO in Melbourne."

 

Later in the article they correct it saying 4 American tourists and an Australian pilot.