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Post by shorty on Nov 12, 2009 15:19:08 GMT 12
Two dead in gyrocopter crash
Taranaki Daily News Last updated 16:10 12/11/2009Police and emergency services stand beside the wreckage of a gyrocopter that crashed in a field near Normanby.
LATEST: Two people are dead after their two-seater gyrocopter crashed off State Highway 3, at Normanby, in Taranaki
Eyewitness Tanant Lester said he watched the mircolight crash after noticing it struggle to gain altitude.
''For about 40 minutes I heard it take off and land (at Hawera Aerodrome) and thought nothing of it.
''Then it sounded quite low so I quickly swung around to see what was going on.''
Mr Lester said he was below the flight path when he heard the pilot "give it a lot of revs'' and thought they were ok.
"He then banked to the left about 50 to 100 metres off the ground and nose dived into the field.
''I ran over to the house and called the police straight away.''
Ohangai Rd resident Hazel Robinson said planes flying over head was not unusual but she knew this one was in trouble.
''It had been flying around for a while but before I heard a loud pop it was sounding funny.
''When I heard that popping noise I just hoped it wasn't them.''
The accident happened off State Highway 3, at Normanby, near Hawera, about 1.30pm, Inspector Ken Climo of central police communications said.
CAA Air Crash Investigators were making their way to the scene.
The two victims are believed to be from South Taranaki.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 12, 2009 15:59:50 GMT 12
Very sad.
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Post by philip on Nov 12, 2009 16:00:07 GMT 12
Terrible news. TV One just showed pictures with the rego letters clearly visible  |
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Nov 13, 2009 11:34:41 GMT 12
Title: Investigation continues into gyrocopter crash 13 November - 11:11am The two men killed when a gyrocopter crashed into a paddock in Normanby yesterday afternoon (Thursday, 12 November) have been named as Neville Ronald Adlam and Stephen John Chubb. The gyrocopter crashed around 1.40pm, about 500 metres from SH3 on Ohangai Road. No-one on the ground was hurt. Enquiries have revealed that Mr Chubb, who was aged 51 and from Okaiawa, South Taranaki, was an instructor and was giving tuition to 70-year-old Mr Adlam from New Plymouth. The pair had taken off and landed at the nearby aero-club on a number of occasions during the afternoon before the crash happened. The men’s bodies were removed from the wreckage last night. A team from the Civil Aviation Authority is still at the scene carrying out an examination and will later today remove the wreckage for further investigation into the cause of the crash. It may be some time before the exact cause of the crash is known. Post mortems have today been carried out on the two men and details will be provided to the Coroner. If anyone witnessed the crash or the lead up to the crash and hasn’t yet spoken to police they are asked to contact Hawera Police on 06 278 0260. Media enquiries should be referred to Communications Manager Kim Perks on 06 351 2546 or 027 234 8256. Please view the full news release online at: www.police.govt.nz/news/release/21564.html |
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Post by ZacYates on Nov 14, 2009 7:17:34 GMT 12
Two of the blokes at work know Stephen very well, as soon as I saw the location of the crash I'd feared it was him.
My thoughts are with the two families. Blue skies, guys.
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Post by philip on Nov 14, 2009 9:54:27 GMT 12
Yes, I looked up the register and there was only one gyroplane registered in Hawera, that belonging to Stephen. Then when TV1 showed the rego I realised it wasn't Stephens aircraft, but in a cruel twist it didn't matter and two avid gyroplane pilots are lost. Very sad
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Post by Peter Lewis on Nov 15, 2009 19:09:37 GMT 12
So which gyro was it?
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Post by angelsonefive on Nov 15, 2009 19:37:38 GMT 12
Flyernzl,
I believe it was ZK-RAZ.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Nov 15, 2009 20:03:38 GMT 12
Ah, thanks, not good. Photograph of unknown ancestry:  |
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