Eildon “ultralight” crash

[kaz3g]

[/url]https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-08/person-missing-after-ultralight-crashes-into-water/11193404

 

 

[tillmanr]

Channel 10 reporting it was a powered hang glider

 

 

[spenaroo]

Yeah, report I heard has witnesses saying it was flying for an hour and at heights of 20m

 

In my inexperience it sounds like the pilot wasn't flying according to the rules/standards. First thought was Eildon isn't that wide, surely If you were at height, easily could glide to the paddocks on the side

 

 

[kaz3g]

Apparently a trike. Most of the lake is bounded by forested mountains and the accident site appears to be between Goughs Bay and Mountain Bay. Google gives an excellent idea of the terrain there. Water very deep even close to shore. Spent a lot of time on the lake when I was young.

 

 

[alf jessup]

Yeah, report I heard has witnesses saying it was flying for an hour and at heights of 20m

 

In my inexperience it sounds like the pilot wasn't flying according to the rules/standards. First thought was Eildon isn't that wide, surely If you were at height, easily could glide to the paddocks on the side

Hmm 60ft, if true not at all flying to the regs unless of course fitted with floats,

 

Another one bites the dust needlessly and taking an innocent out in the process.

 

Not good.

 

But as others say let us not speculate and wait for the report pffft, be waiting a long time if not forever.

 

 

[turboplanner]

I've spent a lot of time in this area. Eildon is still low, snow melt doesn't start for about two months, but will be different to the date this google map was based on.

 

The hills around Eildon can be very rugged. A couple a hunter broke his ankle. He was well over-weight and rescuers couldn't carry him up the steep slopes so they called up a helicopter. Somehow he slipped out of the harness on his way up and dropped to his death, so it's not a place to be flying. A few years ago a Cherokee hit power lines killing all on board in the straight marked Goulburn, despite the long blaze going out to the right which you'd think blind Freddie could see. In this case, with the water down paddocks below Goughs Bay may have been exposed, but from the reports this pilot didn't even make the shore. Looks like this will be a good case for a manslaughter charge based on flying below 500 feet.

 

 

 

 

[Teckair]

This appears to be the height of stupidity going on the reports. Wouldn't want to be that pilot.

 

 

[Thruster88]

"A pilot in every home", this won't help the cause.

 

 

[kaz3g]

[/url]https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-09/melbourne-woman-kathleen-canavan-killed-in-lake-eildon-crash/11194242

 

 

[kasper]

Very sad outcome.

 

Reporting steadfastly has it as a fixed wing but it clearly isn’t. It’s HGFA registered so over to the coroner and police with assistance from HGFA.

 

And frankly that’s a very low speed impact from the looks of the ‘wreckage’. The spat’s are not even off the wheels and compared to the Qantum 912 that came out of the English Channel about 10 years ago from a full stall entry to the water after fuel exhaustion that airborne airframe is in remarkably intact condition.

 

It will be interesting to watch for the reports on cause.

 

 

[Downunder]

Reporting steadfastly has it as a fixed wing but it clearly isn’t.

I'm guessing the reporter confused "flex" with "fixed" wing....

 

 

[alf jessup]

Very sad outcome.

 

Reporting steadfastly has it as a fixed wing but it clearly isn’t. It’s HGFA registered so over to the coroner and police with assistance from HGFA.

 

And frankly that’s a very low speed impact from the looks of the ‘wreckage’. The spat’s are not even off the wheels and compared to the Qantum 912 that came out of the English Channel about 10 years ago from a full stall entry to the water after fuel exhaustion that airborne airframe is in remarkably intact condition.

 

It will be interesting to watch for the reports on cause.

Kasper,

 

Doesn’t look like an Airborne Trike to me, looks more like a Pegasus or a P&m trike, twin mufflers and the radiator set up doesn’t look Aitborne.

 

 

[alf jessup]

I've spent a lot of time in this area. Eildon is still low, snow melt doesn't start for about two months, but will be different to the date this google map was based on.

 

The hills around Eildon can be very rugged. A couple a hunter broke his ankle. He was well over-weight and rescuers couldn't carry him up the steep slopes so they called up a helicopter. Somehow he slipped out of the harness on his way up and dropped to his death, so it's not a place to be flying. A few years ago a Cherokee hit power lines killing all on board in the straight marked Goulburn, despite the long blaze going out to the right which you'd think blind Freddie could see. In this case, with the water down paddocks below Goughs Bay may have been exposed, but from the reports this pilot didn't even make the shore. Looks like this will be a good case for a manslaughter charge based on flying below 500 feet.

Turbs,

 

Yep recon you are right, manslaughter charges coming right up, not to mention a division possibly happening within the family, don’t think the witness who stated they saw the pilot grinning while flying low towards the water would be making it up.

 

All good fun to some until it turns to sh!t, you reap what you sow pilot, you live with the consequences of your action buddy and take what is coming to you and yes, give up flying, you are definitely not a pilot in anyway IMO.

 

Harsh from me , yes but an innocent life has been taken from seeming reckless stupidity, even though the pilot didn’t mean it, it is done and you can’t take it back.

 

Multiple witness saw it flying low over and around the water for quite awhile.

 

I feel for all involved in the loss of this young lady.

 

 

[turboplanner]

Yep an absolute tragedy for the girl and her friends, but just reckless illegal flying.

 

 

[walrus]

P&M Quickr. Relatively Undamaged apart from nose and wing. I think Danny will be grateful to receive any sentence a court might decide to impose as it will be nothing compared to the sentence imposed by family and conscience. Pray for the family, all of them.

 

 

[biggles]

Turbs,

 

Yep recon you are right, manslaughter charges coming right up, not to mention a division possibly happening within the family, don’t think the witness who stated they saw the pilot grinning while flying low towards the water would be making it up.

 

All good fun to some until it turns to sh!t, you reap what you sow pilot, you live with the consequences of your action buddy and take what is coming to you and yes, give up flying, you are definitely not a pilot in anyway IMO.

 

Harsh from me , yes but an innocent life has been taken from seeming reckless stupidity, even though the pilot didn’t mean it, it is done and you can’t take it back.

 

Multiple witness saw it flying low over and around the water for quite awhile.

 

I feel for all involved in the loss of this young lady.

Alf, I’m sure anybody reading this will agree with your comments. A tragic and needless loss of life. The pilot will undoubtably agonise over the consequences of his actions for the rest of his life, and I’m sure that the investigation team will leave no stone unturned, including the pilots training, authorisation, flight reviews, and whether his alleged risky attitude was well known. Hopefully the flight was being recorded. Some years ago I was involved in reviewing a similar accident with members of the NSW police air wing and others. In this incident, both the pilot and his female passenger were of mature age, and the trike fitted with good quality visual and audio recording.( GoPro from memory). We all watched the unedited video in its entirety. His pre flight briefing was impeccable, ensuring that she was comfortable, belted up securely etc.,and agreed that his preparation and pre flight briefing were not in question. The take off and early part of the flight were uneventful ...... gentle turns, maintaining plenty of clearance over built up areas, checking regularly that his passenger was comfortable, to which she responded enthusiastically. They then made their way to a large body of inland water when, seemingly without warning, the pilot put the trike into series of tight descending turns. He asked her if she “liked it” or similar, to which she replied “No I don’t“. I well recall the distinct sense of fear and urgency in her voice, she was truly frightened, Sadly these were her last words as the aircraft spiralled out of control into the water, all graphically captured on video/audio. The electronic evidence was invaluable for the investigators, to the extent that the police considered that they should be made of mandatory in all aircraft. The change in this pilots demeanour is something I often think about, and about how we, as fellow pilots, should go about changing, what we perceive to be an individuals unsafe behaviour. Make your concerns known to your CFI ,Regional Operations Coordinator or the registered organisation. That will ensure that those concerns are passed on to those responsible and may result in this type of accident never happening again. Doing nothing is not really an option ....... Bob

 

 

[Downunder]

I find many bad (pilot) habits evolve from small risks and chances developed over time in ongoing risktaking behaviours.

 

A steady progression into "normalisation of deviance" activity.

 

Every pilot should be aware what "normalisation of deviance" is, look at themselves in the mirror occasionally and think about it.

 

( Am I doing something that I shouldn't? Why do I keep doing it?)

 

I have found those not working in jobs requiring risk assessments, personal protective equipment, and safety procedures to be much more prone to this deviancy. There just seems to be an ignorance or apathy among a few, who really don't understand why safety rules and regulations exist.

 

This video may help some understand.

 

NOTE: My comments do not relate to the incident on this thread directly. I have no knowledge of pilot or passenger.

 

 

[Jabiru7252]

Reporting news has become so pathetic these days. A few weeks ago, channel 9 reported how a bunch of baseball players wouldn't allow a 'tornado' to interrupt their game. A TORNADO!!!! It was a bloody dust devil, and a average one at that. I could scream when I see this kind of ignorance being exhibited on television.

 

 

[facthunter]

If it sells more papers they do it. That's ALL that interests them. Plus exerting influence and free advertising for the section of society they represent. Views not News. Sensation beats fact. Save trees and stay saner Don't buy them. Nev