Fatal wirestrike investigation highlights hazards of low-level flight

[farri]

https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/news-items/2023/fatal-wirestrike-investigation-highlights-hazards-low-level-flight

 

Franco.

[facthunter]

My opinion is that low flight should be on the syllabus.  Nev

[spacesailor]

I used to " fly " Low.

But the golfers objected,  to my model Flying on THEIR goft course !. LoL

spacesailor

[old man emu]

That was a very sad local case. The pilot was a mate of the tractor driver, who was slashing the paddock in order to use it for carparking at an airshow. Not only was the tractor driver thee first on scene to see his mate die, but in the process he fell over the paddock fence and wrecked his knee. He is still recovering from that injury. And it wasn't "operations at low level" as in Ag work. It was tomfoolery.

 

Several months later I was present when the pilot's wife and daughter were at the deceased's hangar to clear out the gear he had there. Not a happy job.

[SSCBD]

9 hours ago, farri said:

https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/news-items/2023/fatal-wirestrike-investigation-highlights-hazards-low-level-flight

 

Franco.

Hi Uncle Frank - and how many hundreds of hours have you flow under 300 ft in the last 100 years?

 

 

 

[kgwilson]

When I did my PPL we had a designated low flying area with lots of fences and tree rows and there were a number of paddocks long enough to put down in at pinch if necessary. Precautionary landing practice was all simulated here and then put in to practice back at the airport. Essential in my opinion. I didn't know it is not taught any more.

[Bosi72]

Nobody can see half inch wire until the very last moment (if then). However, we can see power poles and maybe insulators.

 

It is surpising how the paddocks around airports are looking "clear" from the above, but when driving in a car one can notice heaps of wires, tall fences...

 

https://aviationtheory.net.au/shop/general-and-historical/flight-at-lower-levels-safety-in-the-circuit/

Edited February 24, 2023 by Bosi72

[facthunter]

They used to place coloured balls on wires near aerodromes. Perhaps we have become a bit too casual.  Nev

[old man emu]

1 hour ago, facthunter said:

They used to place coloured balls on wires near aerodromes. Perhaps we have become a bit too casual.  Nev

The situation here is that it was the pilot's home base, so in a perfect world he should have known the location of the power line. However, this incident occurred closer to the airport buildings, driveway and power lines than it would be normal to be flying, too close to them even when on downwind in a circuit. Unfortunately, this was another example of someone trying to put the wind up someone on the ground by buzzing them. 

[kgwilson]

2 hours ago, facthunter said:

They used to place coloured balls on wires near aerodromes. Perhaps we have become a bit too casual.  Nev

These are still sold. There is an advert in every edition of Aviation Trader for red plastic balls to put on power lines or other wires as required.

[onetrack]

1 hour ago, old man emu said:

The situation here is that it was the pilot's home base, so in a perfect world he should have known the location of the power line. However, this incident occurred closer to the airport buildings, driveway and power lines than it would be normal to be flying, too close to them even when on downwind in a circuit. Unfortunately, this was another example of someone trying to put the wind up someone on the ground by buzzing them. 

And how many accident reports reveal the reason for the crash was the pilot was indulging in "unauthorised low flying", so that they could show off/frighten someone on the ground - or even in the aircraft?

 

I can recall one clown here in W.A. who got his pilots licence, and took 3 friends for a jaunt to show off his skills. Part of that showing off was buzzing cows in a paddock and getting a laugh at how they bolted.

However, he got too clever and too low, and hooked his (fixed) undercarriage into a cow, resulting in the aircraft somersaulting into the ground, killing all four on board instantly, and totally destroying the aircraft.

[Old Koreelah]

19 hours ago, old man emu said:

That was a very sad local case. The pilot was a mate of the tractor driver, who was slashing the paddock in order to use it for carparking at an airshow. Not only was the tractor driver thee first on scene to see his mate die, but in the process he fell over the paddock fence and wrecked his knee. He is still recovering from that injury. And it wasn't "operations at low level" as in Ag work. It was tomfoolery.

 

Several months later I was present when the pilot's wife and daughter were at the deceased's hangar to clear out the gear he had there. Not a happy job.

I bet you’ve had too many such tasks, OME.
 

A huge loss to many of us. I was in regular contact with the deceased in a couple of his roles.

This bloke was very talented and innovative. A pioneer in the use of aerial spotting in firefighting, he clocked up enormous hours helping during emergencies. 

A mate spoke to him not long before the fatal flight; he’d been working hard in his complex, demanding job and said he was just going for a fly to clear his head.
An uncharacteristic and momentary lapse in judgement caused this tragedy.

 

It could happen to any of us.

 

[old man emu]

7 hours ago, Old Koreelah said:

I bet you’ve had too many such tasks, OME.

Fortunately I wasn't actually involved with what the family was doing as I don't know them.  I just happened to be around at the time