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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 25, 2006 17:07:59 GMT 12
Breaking news on 3 News just now said a plane has crashd at Wanaka airport, and the sole occupant, the pilot, has been injured.
There is no further news yet. I hope the pilot will recover from this, and I hope this is not one of the Wanaka Warbirds.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 25, 2006 18:03:13 GMT 12
On the 7pm news on National Radio they said this was a privately owned aircraft, which crashed on take off. They gave the name of the plane but I did not recognise it. It sounded like Tacknan or something like that.
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Post by Bruce on Feb 25, 2006 21:23:24 GMT 12
Sounds like a Tecnam - a new and very popular series of Italian light aircraft.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 25, 2006 21:36:17 GMT 12
That could be it. The announcer was Roger Gascoigne who pronouncs his words very oddly I find.
At least the pilot is alive, and the plane was not a rare warbird.
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Post by corsair67 on Feb 27, 2006 8:36:49 GMT 12
From 'stuff.co.nz'
Pilot 'lucky' to survive Wanaka crash
27 February 2006
A Christchurch pilot appears to have cheated death after his private plane crashed on take-off at Wanaka Airport on Saturday.
Richard Ashton Owen, 69, survived after his plane plunged several metres out of the air shortly after takeoff.
Owen was in Dunedin Hospital in a stable condition yesterday after suffering moderate injuries in the crash.
Owen, who has a holiday home in Wanaka, was believed to have suffered a dislocated shoulder and a broken left leg. He was flown to Dunedin Hospital by The Lion Foundation Rescue Helicopter.
Detective Derek Shaw, of the Wanaka Police, said Owen was the sole occupant of the aircraft.
The accident occurred at 4.50pm when he was taking off to the north. The aircraft had just lifted off the runway when it veered to the left and crashed, he said.
Conditions at the time were excellent, with a slight cross wind, Shaw said.
Owen had just taken delivery of the new Tecnam Bravo aircraft and was taking a local flight in it, he said.
Wanaka Airport manager Tim Johnston said the pilot was very lucky to have escaped alive.
"I think when you look at the aeroplane ... definitely."
Wanaka sales agent and flying instructor Ruth Presland said the aircraft was fitted with a roll cage, which saved Owen from more serious injuries.
Emergency units from Luggate and Wanaka along with a doctor attended the crash.
While the brand new plane was technically classed a microlight, it was a sophisticated type and was the latest model Tecnam.
Johnston praised the speed at which emergency services attended, especially the volunteer fire service, which was on the spot within minutes.
Owen declined to talk about his experience last night.
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