Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 30, 2022 23:55:47 GMT 12
From the PRESS, dated 20 APRIL 1966.
Parachutist Lands On Wing
(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, April 19.
A parachutist landed on the wing of a Tiger Moth in a freak incident over Ardmore on Sunday afternoon. His impact sent the aircraft into a spin and the pilot regained control at 300 ft. The parachutist, Mr C. Johnson, of Papatoetoe, slid off the wing and opened his emergency pack, landing unharmed with both parachutes open. The incident happened at 4 p.m. when three members of the Auckland Parachute Club jumped from an Auckland Flying School Cessna piloted by Mr E. Cox, joint owner of the school. The jump was made from 5300 feet and one of the parachutists landed on the wing of an Auckland Gliding Club Tiger Moth used to get gliders into the air. It was being piloted by Mr G. Wilson, a Papakura carpenter. Both pilot and parachutist were badly shaken. Mr Cox said he had been given the all clear to allow the three parachutists in his aircraft to make their delayed jump from 5300 feet. After the parachutists were dear of his aircraft Mr Cox made a turn and began to descend.
"I saw the other aircraft beneath one of the parachutists and saw the canopy fold and the man bump off into space,” he said. “The Tiger Moth dived and I immediately called the control tower —but the controller had already seen what had happened.” Mr Cox said he noticed another parachute open from the back of the descending parachutist and presumed it was his emergency parachute. “It was a frightening experience and is something I have never witnessed before and never want to see again.” Mr Cox said he presumed the Tiger Moth was getting back into the traffic pattern after towing a glider into the air.
Mr Wilson said the incident was more than a million-in-one chance. “I was turning inside the circuit trying to gain height when the next thing I knew I had hit something with a terrific impact,” he said. “I looked out on to my wing and saw a tangled mass of rope and a parachutist. The aircraft immediately went into a spin, heading straight for the ground. I was about 500 feet above the ground before I managed to pull the aircraft out of it.” Mr Wilson said he was flying at 1200 feet when the incident occurred.
“The wing of the Tiger Moth apparently hit the parachutist half-way between the canopy and the man in the harness. Because I was going so slowly—only about 35 miles an hour over the ground—the cords of the parachute bounced off the wing tip but spun the Tiger Moth into a spiral.
“I knew there had been parachuting in progress at the aerodrome, but I felt I was clear of the angle of their drift. I was just ready to turn out of my circuit when We hit.” Mr Wilson was towing an Auckland Gliding Club glider at the time. Mr Wilson said he landed his aircraft and ran across to the parachutist who had landed. “I was very relieved to find he was all right.” Mr Johnson said: “There was nothing much to it. We are trained for this sort of thing and there was no particular trouble.
“I heard the plane coming and saw it. When it hit the parachute there wasn’t much of an impact—quite a light sort of thing.” Mr Johnson said the parachute was caught for only a split-second.
Parachutist Lands On Wing
(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, April 19.
A parachutist landed on the wing of a Tiger Moth in a freak incident over Ardmore on Sunday afternoon. His impact sent the aircraft into a spin and the pilot regained control at 300 ft. The parachutist, Mr C. Johnson, of Papatoetoe, slid off the wing and opened his emergency pack, landing unharmed with both parachutes open. The incident happened at 4 p.m. when three members of the Auckland Parachute Club jumped from an Auckland Flying School Cessna piloted by Mr E. Cox, joint owner of the school. The jump was made from 5300 feet and one of the parachutists landed on the wing of an Auckland Gliding Club Tiger Moth used to get gliders into the air. It was being piloted by Mr G. Wilson, a Papakura carpenter. Both pilot and parachutist were badly shaken. Mr Cox said he had been given the all clear to allow the three parachutists in his aircraft to make their delayed jump from 5300 feet. After the parachutists were dear of his aircraft Mr Cox made a turn and began to descend.
"I saw the other aircraft beneath one of the parachutists and saw the canopy fold and the man bump off into space,” he said. “The Tiger Moth dived and I immediately called the control tower —but the controller had already seen what had happened.” Mr Cox said he noticed another parachute open from the back of the descending parachutist and presumed it was his emergency parachute. “It was a frightening experience and is something I have never witnessed before and never want to see again.” Mr Cox said he presumed the Tiger Moth was getting back into the traffic pattern after towing a glider into the air.
Mr Wilson said the incident was more than a million-in-one chance. “I was turning inside the circuit trying to gain height when the next thing I knew I had hit something with a terrific impact,” he said. “I looked out on to my wing and saw a tangled mass of rope and a parachutist. The aircraft immediately went into a spin, heading straight for the ground. I was about 500 feet above the ground before I managed to pull the aircraft out of it.” Mr Wilson said he was flying at 1200 feet when the incident occurred.
“The wing of the Tiger Moth apparently hit the parachutist half-way between the canopy and the man in the harness. Because I was going so slowly—only about 35 miles an hour over the ground—the cords of the parachute bounced off the wing tip but spun the Tiger Moth into a spiral.
“I knew there had been parachuting in progress at the aerodrome, but I felt I was clear of the angle of their drift. I was just ready to turn out of my circuit when We hit.” Mr Wilson was towing an Auckland Gliding Club glider at the time. Mr Wilson said he landed his aircraft and ran across to the parachutist who had landed. “I was very relieved to find he was all right.” Mr Johnson said: “There was nothing much to it. We are trained for this sort of thing and there was no particular trouble.
“I heard the plane coming and saw it. When it hit the parachute there wasn’t much of an impact—quite a light sort of thing.” Mr Johnson said the parachute was caught for only a split-second.
