onetrack Posted January 12 Posted January 12 News just in, is reporting another light aircraft crash in the region of Fogg Dam recreational area, S.E. of Darwin. Rescuers have reported one POB is deceased (a 63 yr old male - possibly the pilot), and a 29 yr old female passenger was winched from the aircraft wreckage and transported to Darwin hospital for assessment. Sixty-three-year-old man dies in light plane crash south-east of Darwin - ABC News WWW.ABC.NET.AU A man has died and a woman is in hospital after a light aircraft crashed into the Fogg Dam recreational area south-east of Darwin. 1
onetrack Posted January 12 Author Posted January 12 The NT Police are reporting the female passenger was uninjured, and confirming the deceased 63 yr old male was the pilot. Aircraft crash – Middle Point | NT Police, Fire & Emergency Services PFES.NT.GOV.AU The Northern Territory Police Force have responded to a light aircraft crash in Middle Point earlier today. Around 10.20am, police received reports of a crash involving a light aircraft in the Fogg Dam with two... 1
NT5224 Posted January 13 Posted January 13 (edited) This could well be somebody out of MKT on a Sunday. What a tragedy! Condolences to the friends and family of the fellow aviator we have lost… So many fatal accidents/incidents in the news lately… It’s disconcerting. Is this just the way these stories are being reported (e.g conflating different categories of aviation) or there something else…? A sad day Alan Edited January 13 by NT5224 2
turboplanner Posted January 13 Posted January 13 1 hour ago, NT5224 said: This could well be somebody out of MKT on a Sunday. What a tragedy! Condolences to the friends and family of the fellow aviator we have lost… So many fatal accidents/incidents in the news lately… It’s disconcerting. Is this just the way these stories are being reported (e.g conflating different categories of aviation) or there something else…? A sad day Alan There will always be big numbers if every class of aircraft is posted, but sometimes the description is so vague that it might be RA and it might not. 1
turboplanner Posted January 13 Posted January 13 26 minutes ago, Thruster88 said: Raaus strut braced 582 Drifter. That's pretty accurate!
onetrack Posted January 13 Author Posted January 13 (edited) Just a little more news below, neither the pilot nor the aircraft type and rego has yet been publically identified. There's an article in the NT News, but it's behind a paywall. NT Police have advised they will hold a media conference in regard to the crash this afternoon (Monday 13/01/2025). The News.com.au site has a single photo showing wreckage of a microlight inverted in what appears to be shallow water or swampy vegetation, it's reported the aircraft crashed around 50M from the wall of Fogg Dam. Not a good spot to crash, or to have to search, Fogg Dam is a major croc habitat! Man dies in light plane crash in crocodile-infested waters in Fogg Dam, Darwin | Daily Mail Online WWW.DAILYMAIL.CO.UK A pilot has died after a light plane crashed into crocodile-infested waters in the Northern Territory. https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/pilot-dead-after-plane-crashed-into-crocinfested-dam-in-nt/news-story/f09131104e97ed7d068fdd2716d923dd Edited January 13 by onetrack 1
onetrack Posted January 13 Author Posted January 13 (edited) The pilot of the aircraft has been officially identified as Mark Christie, and the aircraft involved was a strut-braced Drifter Big Foot. Mark Christie had a Blog outlining his passions of photography and flying, and he also had a YouTube channel, and a Facebook page. He was Secretary of the Top End Flying Club and RA-Aus delegate for the northern Territory. https://www.youtube.com/@DoubleChook Pilot killed in ultralight plane crash at Fogg Dam, south-east of Darwin, identified - ABC News WWW.ABC.NET.AU A 63-year-old man who died in an ultralight plane crash south-east of Darwin on Sunday has been identified. About the Pilotographer – Pilotographer PILOTOGRAPHER.COM.AU My name is Mark Christie. I am the owner and pilot of a recreational aircraft called a Drifter. I first flew in a Drifter in 1984 and was immediately hooked on both the flying freedom and the visua… Pilotographer Flying Photos & Videos WWW.FACEBOOK.COM My name's Mark Christie and I fly a drifter ultralight aircraft out of MKT Airfield near Darwin, the capital of Australia's Northern Territory. I've been flying, filming and taking photographs of... Edited January 13 by onetrack 1 3
NT5224 Posted January 13 Posted January 13 Really saddened I recall occaisional chats with Mark and remember him as a top bloke with a real passion for aviation and education. 1
Thruster88 Posted January 13 Posted January 13 Flying over the grasslands was nice, the trees and river no. 1
facthunter Posted January 13 Posted January 13 Drifters have a great view from the cockpit. He would have known what he was doing.. Something hitting the prop can have grave consequences. Nev 1
NT5224 Posted January 14 Posted January 14 4 hours ago, Thruster88 said: Flying over the grasslands was nice, the trees and river no. That’s spectacular footage but I would personally be rather nervous flying so low with a two stroke behind me… 2
skippydiesel Posted January 14 Posted January 14 29 minutes ago, NT5224 said: That’s spectacular footage but I would personally be rather nervous flying so low with a two stroke behind me… Especially in Tiger (Crock) Country😈 2
peterg Posted January 14 Posted January 14 3 hours ago, facthunter said: Something hitting the prop can have grave consequences. Something like a scared bird launching if front of you causing an "Oh shit" moment 1
facthunter Posted January 14 Posted January 14 Throw a blade and the rest cuts the tail boom off. nev 1
pmccarthy Posted January 14 Posted January 14 I'm not saying it is corrosion, but the connections on the struts just look dirty like they need a good wipe over. I suspect the same on the fuselage though its hard to see. 1
facthunter Posted January 14 Posted January 14 They are really quite strong, (except the U/C legs).. and quite easy to fly. Nev 1
pmccarthy Posted January 14 Posted January 14 Yes I have flown one dual several times though never went solo. 1
facthunter Posted January 14 Posted January 14 Flies better solo. No one screaming with fear. and it performs better. Nev 1 1
FlyBoy1960 Posted January 14 Posted January 14 (edited) 32 minutes ago, pmccarthy said: I'm not saying it is corrosion, but the connections on the struts just look dirty like they need a good wipe over. I suspect the same on the fuselage though its hard to see. I noticed same thing. There is corrosion everywhere. Also, if you look close you can see a couple of nutserts drilled into the strut either side of the bracket. These are not meant to be there, and are not standard. Who knows why they were added but it looks like it is a good point for fatigue to start from. Also, the footage whilst it looks fantastic is a lot lower than what is allowed by law. The footage we are watching is actually really close to the ground and he is not in the process of taking off or landing. As the RA-Aus rep for NT he should know better. Edited January 14 by FlyBoy1960 1 1
facthunter Posted January 14 Posted January 14 NT is the LAST Wild Frontier.. There HAS to be some reason to LIVE there.. Nev 3 1
Geoff_H Posted January 14 Posted January 14 I love NT. Loved the flying there. Would move there tomorrow if not for my extended family here in Sydney. 1
onetrack Posted January 14 Author Posted January 14 I reckon he's been "pushing the envelope" for possibly 20 years or more, and it caught up with him. That country is full of wildlife, especially big birds that can fly high. Hitting something like a magpie goose at the levels he's flying at in his videos, and you'd be history. The Fogg Dam birdlife is enormous. It's lucky they've got a surviving passenger who can probably tell the Police what actually happened. Experience the Wild - Where to Watch Birds, Fogg Dam WWW.EXPERIENCETHEWILD.COM.AU
NT5224 Posted January 14 Posted January 14 42 minutes ago, facthunter said: NT is the LAST Wild Frontier.. There HAS to be some reason to LIVE there.. Nev Plenty of reasons to live here Nev. 🤣 Alan 1
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