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Post by kiwirico on Jul 22, 2009 23:33:32 GMT 12
Hi guys,
I am looking for more details about the crash of Strikemaster Mk88 NZ6367 which was lost on July3, 1985 when crashing into hillside at Waiau. Does any one know what caused the accident?
Many thanks,
KiwiRico
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Post by beagle on Jul 23, 2009 5:22:14 GMT 12
ground too close to a/c
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Post by skyhawkdon on Jul 23, 2009 7:32:46 GMT 12
Pilot error. Aircraft hit power wires beating up a farm owned by the parents of one of the other 14 Sqn pilots. Pilot very lucky - he ejected just milliseconds before the aircraft hit the ground.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 23, 2009 8:10:12 GMT 12
We were taught about this incident in my parachute packing phase of training at No. 1TTS, and they reckoned it was so close that the pilot literally saw the nose crumpling as it hit the hill as he ejected. There cannot be many closer goes than that!
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Post by phil on Jul 23, 2009 9:06:01 GMT 12
Luckily he was flying an aircraft that had been modded with the MDC fitted to the canopy, at the time only part of the fleet had been completed. This allowed him to get out much faster than having to wait for the canopy to be jettisoned.
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Post by camtech on Jul 23, 2009 9:48:57 GMT 12
Kiwirico,
Just found an extract from RNZAF Flight Safety plus newspaper extracts - will scan them over next few days and post. Have two Italian students staying at the moment, so time taken up with them.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 23, 2009 9:54:23 GMT 12
Yes, that's right, I recall that now. Thanks for reminding us Phil.
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Post by shorty on Jul 23, 2009 10:30:21 GMT 12
There are a couple of photos of the wreckage, as recovered to Wigram, in my "stash" thread sonewhere.
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Post by camtech on Jul 23, 2009 10:32:00 GMT 12
Here is the Flight Safety article - Italians still sleeping!!
STRIKEMASTER WIRESTRIKE
WAIAU: 3 JULY 1985
On the morning of 3 July 1985 three Strikemaster aircraft were to carry out a Hi-Lo-Hi rendevous navex. Black 3 (NZ6367) was to carry out his low level leg at 250’ AGL on Wednesday Low Level Jet Route Four, before joining Black 1 and 2 at Seddon for a high level recovery to Ohakea. In fact, the route Black 3 intended to fly diverged slightly from the Low Level Jet Route to pass over a farm owned by a relative of Black 1. As Black 3 turned onto the Low Level Jet Route he was slightly earlier than planned, while Black 1 (whose planned track crossed that of Black 3 some 20 nm North of the start of the Low Level Jet Route) was slightly behind time, and south of track. As Black 3 commenced a turn to lose time Black 1 advised on UHF that he had him in sight. Black 3 continued his turn and positioned about ½ nm behind Black 1, and then asked Black 1 to show him the relative’s house.
The two aircraft flew up a valley toward the farm, Black 1 at 700 – 1000’ AGL and Black 3 at 200 – 250’ AGL. As they approached the farm Black 1 indicated that the house was on a ridge and flew over it himself. Black 3, some distance behind, was just looking for the house when he noticed a series of wires ahead of his aircraft. He immediately pulled up and applied full power but the wires struck the aircraft just under the nose section. A wire moved along the underside of the aircraft, removing the lower anti-collision beacon and the lower UHF antenna before breaking. At least one wire impacted the starboard drop tank, slicing off the forward upper section then snagging on the pylon. This caused the aircraft to lurch violently to the right and depart controlled flight. After a very brief attempt to control the aircraft attitude the pilot realised that he had no control and initiated ejection by pulling the seat pan handle with his right hand. The MDC and seat worked correctly, and the pilot passed directly over the impact point of the aircraft. He landed on the back slope of a ridge with the parachute only opening just before impact. After rolling down the slope a short distance the pilot released his parachute QRB and stood up.
Black 1, who had returned to identify the pall of smoke after being unable to raise Black 3, observed the pilot of Black 3 to be waving and apparently uninjured, and saw people running to his assistance. Black 1 climbed to altitude and passed a Mayday call to Christchurch Information, before joining Black 2 and returning to Ohakea.
The aircraft had struck three 14.6mm dia wires which were part of a 66 KV transmission line, and had crashed into the side of the valley shortly after. The aircraft was destroyed; the pilot suffered only minor cuts and bruises.
RNZAF Flight Safety
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Post by FlyNavy on Jul 23, 2009 11:00:23 GMT 12
camtech, could you post a URL for the flight safety articles please? Thanks for this accident description. Are there any for the Skyhawk era?
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Post by camtech on Jul 23, 2009 12:13:59 GMT 12
FlyNavy - sorry but these are hard copy from various magazines I acquired while in the air force.
Looking thru the A4 file I see:
NZ6218 - Townsville rollover 3 June 1985
Undated, no serial - A4 hydraulic failure Williamtown
No serial - wire strike 19 July ??
NZ6253 - Ruahine Ranges 25 March 1981
NZ6207 - Ohakea 18 October 1974
As time permits, I will be scanning these for my own records, and can make them available on this site.
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Post by skyhawkdon on Jul 23, 2009 12:21:49 GMT 12
I'd also really like to see those A-4 articles too to confirm details for my Skyhawk book.
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Post by camtech on Jul 23, 2009 12:28:16 GMT 12
Ok guys,
I'll see what I can do over the next few days.
Don - I have some other stuff that I am working on getting scanned in that could be of use. Send me a PM with the sort of stuff you are looking for and I'll see what i can find
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Post by beagle on Jul 23, 2009 12:37:18 GMT 12
pretty sure it was the same pilot who while on Andovers buzzed a low flying hang glider on the west coast and got into trouble.
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Post by Bruce on Jul 23, 2009 12:41:35 GMT 12
is this Waiau valley the one that the Inland Kaikoura Rd (SH70) follows between Mt Lyford and Hanmer Springs? (can any mainlanders confirm...) If so that is the Low - level Jodel Route I flew down coming back from Ashburton earlier this year. Theres a set of powerlines running all the way through to Kaikoura. Hot ambient temperatures and a Jodel at (or above...) MAUW meant insufficient climb performance to get over the back of Hanmer into the Awatere Valley, so we used this route as an escape back to the coast (even then we didnt get very high AGL!) there is a lot of clutter down low at Jodel speeds - at jet speeds it would be pretty busy!
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Post by FlyNavy on Jul 23, 2009 12:57:43 GMT 12
camtech, many thanks.
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Post by camtech on Jul 23, 2009 13:03:01 GMT 12
Not a problem - that is what this site is all about - researchers and histrians working together to collect as much information as is available and making it available to us all
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Post by skyhawkdon on Jul 23, 2009 15:12:08 GMT 12
Ok guys, I'll see what I can do over the next few days. Don - I have some other stuff that I am working on getting scanned in that could be of use. Send me a PM with the sort of stuff you are looking for and I'll see what i can find PM sent. Thanks muchly. Isn't this forum great! |
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Post by kiwirico on Jul 23, 2009 20:07:12 GMT 12
Many thanks for all who replied here, interesting and lucky escape indeed from that "blunty" .
Cheers,
KiwiRico
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Post by shorty on Jul 26, 2009 9:13:24 GMT 12
Bruce, yes, that is the valley. I live about 30 km away and covered that area as a census enumerator.
I have the newspaper clippings and the Flight Safety mag with it in (I have quite a few of those mags, mainly the 60s and 70s)
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