Ultralite Plane Crash, Bribie Island, QLD

[Guest Pabloako]

Ultralight Plane Crash, Bribie Island, QLD

 

Anymore information on this incident? Sounds quite strange to me.

 

Bribie crash pilot believed to have walked to mainland

 

August 17, 2008 - 7:27PM

 

Brisbanetimes.com

 

Police are still searching for a man who walked away from an ultralight plane that crashed north of Brisbane today.

 

A search involving water police and the RACQ Careflight helicopter was launched when a fisherman noticed the wreckage of the plane at Little Goat Island, near Bribie Island, about 5pm (AEST) today.

 

The engine was still warm but the pilot was not at the scene, he told police.

 

A police spokesman said it was believed the man walked across mudflats to the mainland.

 

Water police tracked his footprints to nearby Donnybrook but were unable to find the man.

 

Efforts to locate the man are continuing, the spokesman said.

 

 

[Guest Pabloako]

Search for Bribie Island ultralight crash pilotAlex Dickinson

 

August 18, 2008 06:30am

 

Courier Mail

 

MYSTERY surrounds the whereabouts of a pilot whose crashed ultralight plane was found by a fisherman near Bribie Island late Sunday.

 

The discovery at Little Goat Island, sparked an air and sea search by water police and the RACQ Careflight helicopter and footprints leading away from the wreckage were tracked towards Donnybrook.

 

Police said phone calls from a man claiming to be the pilot saying he was all right were received last night but they were yet to verify the caller's identity.

 

No one else had been aboard the plane.

 

The engine was still warm but the pilot was not at the scene, he told police.

 

An earlier report incorrectly said the pilot had been found.

 

 

[Case]

And the latest -

 

A MAN claiming to be a pilot missing since the crash of an ultralight north of Brisbane yesterday has contacted police, but failed to provide any personal details.

 

A fisherman spotted the wreckage of the plane at Little Goat Island, near Bribie Island, about 5pm (AEST) yesterday.

 

The engine was still warm but the pilot was not in the vicinity, he told police.

 

Searchers found footprints leading from the wreckage, and it is believed the pilot swam across the Pumicestone Channel to Donnybrook on the mainland.

 

A police spokeswoman said local officers today had received two calls, one from a man claiming to be the pilot and the other from a person claiming to be his friend.

 

"We didn't verify their details, so they need to call back to verify those details,'' the spokeswoman said.

 

Police are also trying to verify whether the aircraft was registered to be flown.

 

 

[Guest Pabloako]

Here is a bit more from BrisbaneTimes.com.au.

 

A man has called police claiming to be the pilot of the ultralight plane that crashed near Bribie Island, but left no name or contact details, Caboolture police said this morning.

 

A search has been launched for the pilot, who is believed to have swum from Little Goat Island to Donnybrook after crashing the plane late on Sunday afternoon.

 

Footprints have been found in the sand near the badly-damaged aircraft, suggesting the pilot had walked across the sand before swimming across the channel towards the Bullock Creek Conservation Park.

 

Donnybrook is on the mainland across the central section of Bribie Island, which is mostly national park.

 

Sergeant Glen Miller, of Caboolture police, said officers had heard from a person claiming to be the pilot of the ultralight, but he did not leave his name or any contact details during the brief telephone call.

 

"We have heard from a person, but we don't know if he is the pilot or not," Sergeant Miller told brisbanetimes.com.au.

 

"This person has contacted police but he has not left any contact details."

 

Sergeant Miller said the ultralight was about 30-years-old, but it's identifying numbers did not match current registration details.

 

"We don't know if it is registered or not," he said.

 

"The way they used the numbers 30 years ago is not the way they register them today."

 

A search involving water police and the RACQ Careflight helicopter was launched yesterday when a fisherman noticed the wreckage of the plane at Little Goat Island about 4.45pm on Sunday.

 

 

[Knighty]

unregistered plane

 

Well if I was flying an unregistered plane (not saying that I ever have mind you!!!) and it was an elcheapo rag and tube and it was damaged and I could walk or run away from it I think I would make that very same dash.

 

Hat off to the pilot who managed to make contact with the officials however he should have made the contact ASAP before us tax payers footed the bill for the choppers, planes, boats etc.

 

At least no one was hurt (not reported) and I am sure there is a lesson learnt by the pilot and anyone else thinking about flying over something you cant land on safely. mud flats aint my idea of a safe emergency landing strip.

 

Cheers

 

Knighty

 

 

[Guest airsick]

Hat off to the pilot who managed to make contact with the officials however he should have made the contact ASAP before us tax payers footed the bill for the choppers, planes, boats etc.

If I was running the search and rescue effort and received an anonymous call from a random person saying they were the pilot but they weren't willing to identify themselves then I think I would be erring on the side of caution and continuing (or starting) the search just in case.

 

I don't take my hat off to anyone who flies unregistered, unlicensed, etc. If this truly is the case then the guy is an idiot and doesn't deserve anything but a hefty dose of punishment. Especially given that he has just done a runner and won't even face the authorities. Seems he got off lightly in my books.

 

 

[motzartmerv]

So once again we have this word "ultralight" entangled with stupidity.. This guy, if its what it looks like, needs his head read.. We fight an uphill battle what with the media's pertrayal of us all being a bunch of reckless cowboys, and here we have fuel for the fire.. How much has been spent already searching for this clown, and what sort of fine is he avoiding?? if any...flying an unregistered RAA acft?? wouldn't think the penalty would be to severe $$$ wise..

 

my hats stayin on to, this guys a tossa (if like i said its what it looks like)

 

cheers..

 

 

[glenns]

I agree, you would think one of us in this forum might well know who the individual is. Or at least if more details of the aircraft were published someone might know its history and the pilot could be tracked down by local knowledge. Not that we want to be dobbers but the pilot may still be lying hurt somewhere and the anonymous call may have been exactly that.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

this area has always right from the beginning been a big favourite for Seascouts.

 

Now be fair, he may have been in a state of shock as it is said the 'aircraft' is substantially damaged. walked off home in a daze. should have left a note for fisherman that he was ok. Another one who probably never heard of the RAAus.

 

rego marking possibly maritime. If he has been flying as long as his 'ultralight' has then i can understand why he does so without the graces of the RAAus.

 

Anyway he doesn't fly an ultralight he flys a Minimum Aircraft. So the press are wrong again.

 

but lets lynch him anyway

 

 

[BLA82]

"State of shock" that might explain the first couple of hours or a day but has he come forward yet NO!!!!! He has definately transformed from an accident victim to a now so yes lets nail him.

 

Unfortunately according to the media everything that isn't the size of a small ship with a big kangaroo on the tail is a ultralight so we will always be branded and it's tools like this that arn't helping

 

 

[Guest airsick]

Now be fair,

I think most of us have been fair. In each post people have expressed their opinions and said something along the lines of 'if this is the case then...'

 

If this isn't the case then our posts do not apply. Otherwise, I stand by what I said.

 

And BLA82 has a point too. Why hasn't he come forward in subsequent days???

 

(Or has he and we just don't know about it?)

 

 

[Guest J430]

 

I think we all know why he has not come forward, coz he knows he is in the and figures that he may get away with it.

 

All the old fella's I know who flew them 20 years ago do not recognise it at all. And the fact they are all puzzled suggests this may have been in storage for a long time or a recent refurb and a test flight that went wrong!

 

J

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Looks like a M2 or 3 Seascout with a robyn 250 on it.

 

With all you lot howling wolf do you really think he will stick his head up for you to shoot off. there are some who would deny that this has anything to do with ultralighting as it was built before 1983.

 

 

[Guest brentc]

Probably the only kind of float plane that I can afford at the moment.

 

 

[Guest airsick]

What, a broken one?

 

 

[BLA82]

Looks like a M2 or 3 Seascout with a robyn 250 on it. With all you lot howling wolf do you really think he will stick his head up for you to shoot off. there are some who would deny that this has anything to do with ultralighting as it was built before 1983.

Howling Wolf?

 

Common do you honestly believe anything that has been said is exagerating and just remember if he has nothing to hide than he hasn't an issue or does he?

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

probably the salvage bill for recovering the airboat after the grounding incident is what may be of concern.

 

gee the deceleration must have been enormous when those flatbottom floats hit that sticky mud. bet he thought he was going to slide on real smoooth like.:black_eye:

 

if anyone cant work out what it is here is a line view and a few parked on a beach some years ago not far from the scene of the crime. maybe it is one of these.

 

 

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

In my bush travels I see wrecked cars left beside the road all the time... nobody seems to care much about the 'dumped' cars - I got to wonder about the hulabaloo going on over this worthless 'dumped' aircraft wreck

 

 

[BLA82]

In my bush travels I see wrecked cars left beside the road all the time... nobody seems to care much about the 'dumped' cars - I got to wonder about the hulabaloo going on over this worthless 'dumped' aircraft wreck

I think there is a bit of a difference HPD considering a wrecked car is alot more common then a wrecked plane. Besides we see a wrecked car and hink what a pile of sh??? but when a wrecked plane is seen ppl think typical cowboys and there goes the RA's reputation again and so it goes....

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

I think there is a bit of a difference HPD considering a wrecked car is alot more common then a wrecked plane. Besides we see a wrecked car and hink what a pile of sh??? but when a wrecked plane is seen ppl think typical cowboys and there goes the RA's reputation again and so it goes....

BLA82, I think you have valid concerns. I'm guessing you are a little worried how the media might 'spin' this thread subject ...???

 

 

[BLA82]

BLA82, I think you have valid concerns. I'm guessing you are a little worried how the media might 'spin' this thread subject ...???

Exactly, I just hate seing responsible people being slandered because of irresponsible tools

 

 

[JimG]

It seems the owner is still shy about coming forward..... I notice in todays local paper a public notice to the owner of the wreckage to come forward and collect it.

 

The Ranger in charge @ Bribie Island National Parks also seeks to discuss the costs of recovery and restoring the enviroment! Then the various means of disposal are noted ,including public auction.

 

In the desciption the only noted markings are MAFA 86.... does that mean anything to anyone.

 

PM if anyone wants more details from the add.

 

JimG

 

 

[Guest Michael Coates]

MAFA

 

My

 

Affordable

 

First

 

Aeroplane

 

 

[BLA82]

Lol,

 

Somehow I don't think he or she will come forward now to claim a $50 wreck and risk paying the fines and clean up costs that no doubt will be alot more than it's worth.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

MAFA 86 now let me see. a clck here and a clck there and MAFA 86 is a Skycraft Scout that in 1979 was residing in Pomona in QLD. Chances of it being the same owner after all these years are a bit slim. But i do have a name.