Five Missing after plane ditches

[glenns]

Five missing after plane ditches

 

By Jodie Munro O'Brien and Michael Wray

 

April 03, 2008 03:56pm

 

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EMERGENCY services have been alerted after a light plane ditched in the ocean after issuing a distress call.

 

The mayday was received from an aircraft over Brampton Island off Mackay at 2.15pm.

 

An RACQ CQ rescue helicopter spokeswoman said the aircraft - carrying a pilot and four passengers - was believed to have ditched into the water 100m from the island.

 

 

[Yenn]

Latest news is that the 19 year old woman pilot conducted a perfect ditching and all are safe and un injured. From declaring the emergency to being pulled from the water took 18 minutes.

 

Great work by the pilot. The plane was a Cherokee 6 and I don't think they were made in a retractable version, so it was good piloting.

 

 

[Guest disperse]

19 well done

[Guest J430]

Yenn, they did make a Cherokee 6 in a retractable, its called a Lance:big_grin:

 

Having a friend up this way do a silly thing recently with fuel taps......and pulling off a 100% perfect forced landing in a small paddock and flew out again minutes later, one has to wonder did this young lady make the same boo boo!

 

Have to say that the one up Cape York and this one seemed to have been far more effective than the one at Hamilton Island. Says something for not stalling the plane and doing a controlled ditching.

 

Even if she stuffed up first....she salvaged it well. If its not her fault, back slapping and champagne drinking all round!

 

J

 

 

[Yenn]

Who said she stuffed up first. Let us wait and see what the problem was, but I believe she had the engine running for a lot longer that would have been possible if she had failed to turn the fuel on. I know that most accidents are caused by pilot error and also that some of the errors make the pilot look like a hero when they bring it all to a succesful conclusion, but please don't assume that the pilot is wrong.

 

 

[Guest J430]

Yenn

 

Just being a bit critical here, I did not say SHE DID STUFF UP, however I do wonder if she may have or as can happen with low levels of fuel uncovered a fuel port and sucked a bit of air during the climb.

 

Not pointing the bone at her at all, she may well have suffered a failure beyond her input and control, either way she did a top job with what she had left to deal with!.

 

J:wave:

 

 

[shafs64]

We all love planes. but i think its more important that they all walk away or swim.

 

100 piont to the pilot for keeping a cool head we are all trained to do this but when it happen some of us could crack and she didn't so she can wear her undie on the outside. super pilot.

 

Paul