Plane crash, Mornington, south of Melbourne.

[Guest Pabloako]

Anyone have any more news on this accident?

 

Pilot killed in light plane crash

 

AAP

 

January 11, 2009 05:01pm

 

THE pilot of an ultra light plane has died after a crashing into a residential area of Mornington, south of Melbourne.

 

Victoria Police said the aircraft had tried to land in Craigrossie Road, Mornington.

 

The person killed was piloting the single-seater aircraft although at the crash scene it was not possible to immediately identify the victim or tell whether they were male or female, they said.

 

A resident of Craigrossie Road, Meg Turner, said the plane crash landed onto her property.

 

"It didn't touch the house but went over the other side of the tennis court and into bush and trees," Ms Turner said.

 

Another resident of Craigrossie Road, who did not wish to be named, said he heard a loud noise as the plane hit trees when it crashed.

 

"What I heard was a roar like a motor mower in its last gasp and that large roaring noise you get when a motor mower hasn't got any petrol," he said.

 

"There was a no noise at all, then there was a roar, then there was a thumping noise as it hit the trees. It did not occur to me listening to it that I had heard a plane crash."

 

He said people on the beach saw the plane flying without power.

 

"They saw it turn right into the foreshore - their belief was that it had crashed into the foreshore," he said.

 

"In fact it has crashed, I suppose, 100m to the east of the Mornington foreshore."

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

Watching this one closely fellas. Awaiting further news.

 

 

[Skyhog]

VH-JBR Bushby Mustang as shown on ABC news.First registered 1984.

 

They're calling it an ultralight but in the news footage they clearly showed the rego.

 

 

[Ultralights]

It was a Busby Mustang, aparently it was a very well known aviator, i dont know who it is yet. its been a sad day for me, just found out today my flying instructor Jack Curtis, passed away recently:crying:

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

It was a Busby Mustang, aparently it was a very well known aviator, i dont know who it is yet. its been a sad day for me, just found out today my flying instructor Jack Curtis, passed away recently:crying:

Sorry to hear that mate, not a good start to '09.

 

 

[Guest gosk8ing]

Very sad. I know the owner of the aircraft and went to see the plane when I was looking at building a midget mustang. A very nice guy. They say the pilot was 54 and i think he would be close to that.

 

 

[Yenn]

A sad start to the year and no doubt the media will continue to label all accidents as ultralight, unless they are really big and then it will be Qantas.

 

 

[pylon500]

VH-JBR Bushby Mustang

I hope this doesn't appear as bad taste, this was a really nicely built little homebuilt.

 

Seen at Wagga AOPA flyin '05.

 

Sorry to hear about ol' Jack Curtiss, great bloke, flew with him in a DC-3 once.

 

Arthur.

 

 

 

[geoffreywh]

Yesterday I was at Tyabb working on the Jodel. I saw the M.M. taxi out,and a couple of hours later heard that he had crashed and died. The import of the accident never really hit home until later, when my wife (who is expecting our first child and was with me at Tyabb), got really upset. I asked what the problem was. She said something like "That could have been you" I assured it could not have been me, and went on to explain why. I think I might have convinced her. BUT the effects of the Mustang crashing will certainly reach beyond the pilot's family and friends and into my life. I has quite distorted my wife's perception of me flying, and that's a shame........So, let's be extra careful. For all our dear partners peace of mind.

 

 

[Geoff]

Jack Curtiss Starting The DC3 with a truck strap at Temora

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ben Longden]

I hope this doesn't appear as bad taste, this was a really nicely built little homebuilt..

Not at all. The bushby Mustang is a great plane. Make that; a bloody great plane.

 

There are a few flying in oz, and a mate at Newcastle has a two seater... 150 kt cruise :thumb_up:

 

My sincere condolences to the owner, the pilots family, friends and relatives.

 

Ben

 

 

[octave]

I think the media is calling this aircraft an Ultralight because that what it says on the Victorian Police Media Unit web site. I have just emailed them to (politely) point out the difference between GA and RA. I think it is important for us to (politely) correct this common miosconception.:hittinghead:

 

Of course it doesn't make it any less tragic when a fellow aviator is lost.

 

 

[Ben Longden]

Were you able to do it using words of one sylable or less?

 

BTW, The Age has a really nice story online today. As in, positive to aviation, and sympathetic to the tragedy.

 

Ben

 

This is from the police media;

 

Man killed in Mornington plane crash

 

Release date: Sun 11 January 2009

 

Last updated: Mon 12 January 2009

 

A 54-year-old Tyabb man is dead after crashing his light plane in a Mornington residential street this afternoon.

 

Around 4pm the plane narrowly avoided a house and private tennis court on Craigrossie Road before crashing into bushes.

 

The sole occupant of the plane died at the scene.

 

Police are investigating the cause of the crash and will prepare a report for the Coroner.

 

Glen Atwell, Media Officer

 

 

[octave]

Re: Were you able to do it using words of one sylable or less?

 

Yep down to single letters ie VH = GA

 

 

[octave]

Success!!!!!!

 

This is the email that I sent to the Police media Unit.

 

Dear Sir/Madam,

 

I wish to point out that the article on your web site incorrectly states that the tragic plane crash in Mornington yesterday was an Ultralight. This aircraft was a Light Plane and therefore regulated by CASA not an Ultralight which would have been regulated by Recreational Aviation Australia (RAAus).

 

The problem is that light plane accidents are wrongly being attributed to ultralight aviation.

 

If a plane has a VH rego on it, it cannot be an ultralight

 

In the interest of accuracy I am hoping that this can be corrected

 

Regards

 

Graham

 

Reply from Police Media Unit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Hi Graham

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for your email. I have amended that article

 

 

 

Victoria Police - Man killed in Mornington plane crash and will let my colleagues know of the error.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anna

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ewen McPhee]

You can understand the Lay persons perspective though. The Bushby mustang is small, with a big engine on the front. Sad Day for the friends and family.

 

 

[antzx6r]

That's good, although the damage may be already done I'm afraid. I wrote this to Sunrise this morning (first I heard) after they also labeled it an ultralight. Adding that there have been over fifty accidents in the past 3 months.

 

I know you guys are normaly very accurate with your news stories so I wanted to point out that the aircraft that sadly went down is actually a light plane under CASA registration recognised by the VH rego call sign. I know this seems like a technicality, however by calling it an ultralight you are linking it to Recreational Aviation Australia (a seperate registration) who have had an extremelly good record for safety having only had one fatal accident in the last year in which two pilots sadly died. So this kind of bad press (so to speak) is quite damaging to a growing organization of safe recreational pilots and aircraft.

 

It may not seem like much, but it would be great to see you guys make the clarification that know one else does.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Anthony

 

The only response to this was that emails are unlikely to be followed up on due to the number recieved. They did pull the story off air not long after I sent it though. Maybe thats the best we can hope for... eh?

 

Other reports have been quite good despite this though. An experienced pilot doing all he could to stay clear of onlookers, though sadly losing his life in the process. A real hero. It's upsetting to see home owners on the news complaining about the low flying, only concerned with they're property values and such. Humanity is lost when money is involved.

 

 

[hihosland]

I feel there is a need for a bit of caution when insisting that the news media, police and general populace correctly make the distinction between RA and GA aircraft. This is especially so in the face of a fatal accident.

 

In the minds of many a small aeroplane is a small aeroplane. I suspect that for them us getting all pretentious about distinctions between aircraft classifications in the face of a fatal accident is about as valid, or honorable, as making a Ford/Holden distinction after a driver is killed on a level crossing. Occasionally one hears comments that carry more than a tint of shadenfreude. (Thankfully not within these fora that I have noticed.)

 

An unexpected death is always a tragedy and an occasion for those not directly affected to do whatever they can to support, comfort and assist the surviving family, friends and colleagues. I am not convinced that preaching the ‘not one of us’ line does anything to support the bereaved or to reassure the families of pilots whose passion is aircraft of some other classification.

 

We all share the same airspace and face the same challenges around the dinner table as well as in the air, be we RAA, GA, HGFA, glider, rotorcraft or paraglider pilots.

 

In the face of tragedy I believe it is more important for us to all stand together than to make distinctions that mean little to the average non aero-inclined person.

 

In the recent situation where the Fairfax news group quoted statistics that were completely wrong I believe it right and proper for us to point out their error and to firmly make the distinction between RAA registered aircraft and other classifications.

 

Certainly assert our differences when appropriate. I do question that the morning after a fatal accident the appropriate time.

 

Davidh

 

 

[octave]

I think these emails and letters play a part (hopefully) in the gradual eductation of the media. I was quite dismayed that the Police Media Unit got it wrong as this may be where the media draws its initial information from, to their credit after I emailed them I received a reply and the press release was fixed within 10 minutes. I think it is also a good idea to make these emails reasonable an not angry or abusive, we to be thought as calm and reasonable people.

 

Cheers

 

Graham

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Maybe the media would be better advised to identify these only as "light aircraft" rather than trying to be specific and getting it wrong.

 

again not something we wish to hear about at all

 

play safe

 

ozzie

 

 

[octave]

My intention is not to distinguish between GA RA pilots, many of my flying friends are both. There seems to be a belief amongst some sections of the media that ultralights are much more dangerous than GA aircraft. This is a quote from a news story

 

" Police will investigate whether low-flying ultralight planes are a safety issue in the area"

 

full story at

 

Charity flight 'hero' lost in plane crash - National - BrisbaneTimes

 

The problem is if this sort of thing is not corrected early is seems to become "truth". The Age article that quotes incorrect stats is still on the net and informing peoples opinions about the safety of all aviation.

 

Once again my intention is not to be insensitive. It is a sad day when we lose any of our flying friends.

 

 

[BLA82]

Does anyone know if the RAA has an media liason officer? Surely one is needed to help educate the media about what constitues an ultralight as opposed to a light aircraft.It is all well and good members here writing to the relevant papers and organisations, but surely it would carry more weight if the controlling body of this "sport" added its weight to the situation.

 

Excellent suggestion, if they don't have one they SHOULD!!!

 

 

[Guest brentc]

The liaison officer would normally be the President Eugene Reid. He recently commented to the media on the Savannah crash on Flinders Island recently as I saw it published.

 

 

[Relfy]

At a time when RAA is seeking to extend the boundaries of it's exposure ie controlled airspace and heights etc, it is important to accurately represent the organisation as a professional and safety conscious body (which it is without doubt). I know that I will ensure that any incident in QLD will be accurately reported on through police media to ensure that there can be no adverse criticism unduly drawn towards RAA. I'm sure that any other RAA members who are members of other state police forces etc will do the same.

 

Donkey's question of whether the RAA has a dedicated media officer is a great question.

 

 

[facthunter]

Timeliness.

 

Good comment Relfy. RAAus no doubt has some enemies out there who will take every opportunity at this time of proposed changes, to discredit it. Some of these are within the aviation community. To insist on accuracy is reasonable to say the least. There is a risk that we may have to take the bad with the good if circumstances change, but that should not deter us from requiring honesty.

 

If we had a safety record that stood out as very good, there would be no problem surely, with acknowledging it, and it would add to a "culture of safety" that we must have to be safe®. (Without getting complacent)

 

I wish the aviation community would not be so territorial as we have much in common, but we are all human I suppose.. Nev..