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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 31, 2017 17:46:40 GMT 12
Lucky escape from glider crash on steep mountainside12 minutes ago Two people have been rescued after a powered glider they were in crashed on a mountainside in the Blairich Range south of Blenheim.  The aircraft crashed on Blairich Range south of Blenheim. Photo: Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter A Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter spokesperson said it was reported that the aircraft suffered a catastrophic wing failure, causing it to spiral about 1500 feet downwards before hitting the steep slope and coming to rest. The combined effect of the spiral and the steep nature of the mountain face appeared to have minimised the severity of the impact, allowing the pair to escape with only minor injuries, he said. Once free of the wreckage the pair called for help on a cellphone. The Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter flew them to Wairau Hospital's emergency department for further assessment and treatment.  Photo: Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/347272/lucky-escape-from-glider-crash-on-steep-mountainside
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Post by davidd on Jan 1, 2018 9:43:57 GMT 12
Wow, seems to have been a very lucky escape from death there! How common are structural failures in gliders in New Zealand? Thought they would be pretty rare, but can think of the Fred Dunn (with an "e"?) crash in a Slingsby Dart 17R in about 1967 at Christchurch (some sort of fault, cannot recall details) and another one in late 70s/early 80s flying from Omarama after being caught in severe turbulence (rota, spelling?) during a cross country. Pilot baled out but killed after landing (in St Bathan range?) due to being dragged about through rocks before he could release his 'chute, name Andy something, an engineer with Air NZ at Harewood. Me and a friend were camping next to him in a nearby camping ground - all I can remember was the sight of his poor little Austin A35 sitting waiting patiently next to his tent for its master to return! A very unusual and sad incident.
David D
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 1, 2018 15:38:27 GMT 12
People on Facebook are saying this was not a glider, it was actually a microlight, apparently.
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Post by angelsonefive on Jan 1, 2018 17:25:38 GMT 12
People on Facebook are saying this was not a glider, it was actually a microlight, apparently. It certainly looks like a glider to me. Here is a link to another NZ glider break up in flight, Pirat ZK-GJO in wave over Carrington near Masterton in 1984: aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=88144 |
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Post by angelsonefive on Jan 1, 2018 18:25:27 GMT 12
Wow, seems to have been a very lucky escape from death there! How common are structural failures in gliders in New Zealand? Thought they would by pretty rare, but can think of the Fred Dunn (with an "e"?) crash in a Slingsby Dart 17R in about 1967 at Christchurch (some sort of fault, cannot recall details) and another one in late 70s/early 80s flying from Omarama after being caught in severe turbulence (rota, spelling?) during a cross country. Pilot baled out but killed after landing (in St Bathan range?) due to being dragged about through rocks before he could release his 'chute, name Andy something, an engineer with Air NZ at Harewood. Me and a friend were camping next to him in a nearby camping ground - all I can remember was the sight of his poor little Austin A35 sitting waiting patiently next to his tent for its master to return! A very unusual and sad incident. David D Herewith a link to a report on the in-flight break-up of Slingsby Skylark ZK-GCB over the St Bathans Range in Dec. 1972 when a spar cap gave way in rough air. The pilot abandoned the glider by parachute but did not survive: aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=62261Also the fatal crash of Slingsby Dart ZK-GEN that killed the pilot, Fred Dunn ( no "e" ) on 4 May 1966: aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=29626 |
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Post by philip on Jan 1, 2018 21:45:43 GMT 12
People on Facebook are saying this was not a glider, it was actually a microlight, apparently. Powered gliders are registered as microlights |
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Post by The Red Baron on Jan 2, 2018 6:39:37 GMT 12
The Fred Dunn Dart EN crash was caused by the tow rope getting stuck around an elevator,it ripped it off and the subsequent loss of control caused the glider to break up.It wasn't a structural failure as such.
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Post by davidd on Jan 2, 2018 9:00:46 GMT 12
Many thanks for refreshing my memory (such as it is!) on these two accidents. I thought that there was something about the Dunn crash to do with the tow rope which I could not clearly recall. Bit of a coincidence that Skylark 3F GCB (wondered what happened to that one! - it was overall white with red registration letters) was also one of Fred Dunn's "babies" (he assembled it, note the c/n prefix).
David D
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Post by skydognz on Jan 2, 2018 10:49:03 GMT 12
Powered gliders are NOT all microlights. I maintain 1 of 6 microlight powered gliders that are listed. All the remainder have Standard aircraft C of A
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Post by angelsonefive on Jan 2, 2018 14:06:19 GMT 12
Can anyone help with the type and reg. of the Blairich Range crash glider ?
Thanks in advance.
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Post by lumpy on Jan 2, 2018 15:44:08 GMT 12
Seeing as no one was seriously hurt I guess there is no harm . I believe it was CZJ ( which mostly comes up as an Airtourer if you google it - but I believe the rego was only recently issued , having previously been VH-NZJ ) . Its listed as a Morgan 10 Cheyenne . Oh , and VH-NZJ is also a bit confusing if you google it because its an XL750 , so that must have changed at some stage too .
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Post by angelsonefive on Jan 2, 2018 17:04:06 GMT 12
Seeing as no one was seriously hurt I guess there is no harm . I believe it was CZJ ( which mostly comes up as an Airtourer if you google it - but I believe the rego was only recently issued , having previously been VH-NZJ ) . Its listed as a Morgan 10 Cheyenne . Oh , and VH-NZJ is also a bit confusing if you google it because its an XL750 , so that must have changed at some stage too . Many thanks. CZJ is currently allocated to a Morgan 10 Cheyenne, with a private owner in the Blenheim area. |
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Post by planewriting on Jan 3, 2018 13:57:25 GMT 12
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Post by thomarse on Jan 14, 2018 17:14:22 GMT 12
I had just towed GBF on that day........................
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Post by planewriting on Feb 28, 2020 20:41:37 GMT 12
Seeing as no one was seriously hurt I guess there is no harm . I believe it was CZJ ( which mostly comes up as an Airtourer if you google it - but I believe the rego was only recently issued , having previously been VH-NZJ ) . Its listed as a Morgan 10 Cheyenne . Oh , and VH-NZJ is also a bit confusing if you google it because its an XL750 , so that must have changed at some stage too . Many thanks. CZJ is currently allocated to a Morgan 10 Cheyenne, with a private owner in the Blenheim area. Just revisited this post and have found this, which answers some questions. nzcivair.blogspot.com/2019/03/morgan-aeroworks-aircraft-of-new.htmlRegarding the pilot of ZK-GCB; I have the name Harry Aitken. |
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Post by conman on Mar 2, 2020 12:26:26 GMT 12
Strange coincidence is that I currently have shares in the current GCB and GBF, spooky !
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Post by ZacYates on Jul 18, 2023 13:34:03 GMT 12
Fun fact: the passenger on the accident flight is one of my classmates at NMIT! She's still very much into gliding and hasn't been put off by the experience.
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Post by planewriting on Jul 23, 2023 10:08:27 GMT 12
Wow, seems to have been a very lucky escape from death there! How common are structural failures in gliders in New Zealand? Thought they would be pretty rare, but can think of the Fred Dunn (with an "e"?) crash in a Slingsby Dart 17R in about 1967 at Christchurch (some sort of fault, cannot recall details) and another one in late 70s/early 80s flying from Omarama after being caught in severe turbulence (rota, spelling?) during a cross country. Pilot baled out but killed after landing (in St Bathan range?) due to being dragged about through rocks before he could release his 'chute, name Andy something, an engineer with Air NZ at Harewood. Me and a friend were camping next to him in a nearby camping ground - all I can remember was the sight of his poor little Austin A35 sitting waiting patiently next to his tent for its master to return! A very unusual and sad incident. David D Just spotted your post David - Fred Dunn (no "e") was flying Dart 17R ZK-GEN (c/n FMD113) on 4 May 1966 out of Harewood (Christchurch International Airport) on, I believe, its first test flight after he built it up from a kit set. Immediately after release over the Eyrewell State Forest, he entered a high speed dive at such a pace that he caught up on the tow rope which wrapped itself around the Dart's tail and wrenched it off. He tried bailing out but was still partially in the aircraft when it crashed into a tree, killing him. The Dart was destroyed. On 26 February 1967 there was an air pageant (reported by Bob Kerr in AHSNZ Journal page 104) held at Harewood to raise funds for Fred's widow and two children. The display was opened with a handling display by Ron Fechney in P-51 Mustang ZK-CCG (ex NZ2427). Fred had built 15 other gliders before ZK-GEN and was the first person to fly a glider around Mount Cook. Such was the recognition of this man's loss, that the locally based organisations all played a part on the day. These included the Canterbury Aero Club, Airwork New Zealand Ltd, Canterbury Gliding Club (Fred was a foundation member), performed a dual tow, ably carried out by that wonderful Aero Club veteran PA18 ZK-BNL, which still actively belongs to the Aero Club today. The RNZAF's Central Flying School team mounted a display in Harvards NZ1060, NZ1065, NZ1066, NZ1085 and NZ1087. In the static display was NAC Friendship ZK-BXI and from VX-6 of the USAF were C121J Constellation Bu131624 6/JD and LC130F Hercules Bu148321 21/JD "The old grey mare". The AHSNZ had a display in a hangar illustrating the development from balloons to jets. There was a 14 mile handicap pylon race around a triangular course by five aircraft, which was won by AHSNZ member Pat Scotter who is the society's longest serving member (joined in 1959, and I had the pleasure of meeting him for the first time at its AGM in Christchurch in June this year). |
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Post by Antonio on Jul 23, 2023 11:21:29 GMT 12
Was the cause of the dive ever found?
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Post by davidd on Jul 23, 2023 12:17:36 GMT 12
For some reason, my memory keeps telling me that the McDonald/Fechney Mustang CCG was previously NZ2417, with that number carried in very small (red?) characters under the small (carburettor?) intake, just below and behind the spinner. Is my memory defective?
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