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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 25, 2024 11:31:56 GMT 12
From The Press, 17 December 1966
Coroners Court
Tow-rope Believed To Have Fouled Glider
Frederick Murray Dunn, of Christchurch, was killed while piloting a glider on May 4, when a tow-rope became entangled with the starboard tailplane after cast-off, in the opinion of Wing Commander O. J. O’Brien, chief inspector of aircraft accidents, in his report read to the Coroner’s Court yesterday.
The report said the accident was caused by an irretrievable loss of control occasioned by the entanglement which resulted in the tailplane being torn away at disengagement, and by subsequent failure of the mainplanes when the dive brakes were extended beyond limitation speed.
“Though fouling of the tailplane by the tow-rope undoubtedly created the circumstances which led to the occurrence of this accident, the manner in which fouling occurred has not yet been determined,” the report said. “Investigation to date has not shown that responsibility for the occurrence of the accident may be attributed to any person or organisation.”
The Coroner (Mr A. T. Bell) found that Dunn, aged 40, married, managing director of Sailplane Services, Ltd., an organisation specialising in the construction, repair and maintenance of gliders, died at Eyrewell Forest, the cause of death being shock and hemorrhage associated with widespread gross injuries and fractures sustained when the glider he was flying crashed there on May 4.
Wing Commander O’Brien said the aircraft had no unusual characteristics and its construction conformed faithfully to the designer’s specifications. It appeared to have been soundly constructed and well finished throughout. No pre-impact defect or malfunction was found in the control system.
Colin Lyndon White, a commercial pilot of Christchurch, said in evidence that he was tug pilot for the test flight of the glider, a Slingsby T-51-17R, on its maiden flight from Christchurch Airport over the Eyrewell Forest. It was intended that the castoff should be made over the forest about 5000 ft and that he should photograph the sailplane as soon as practicable after. He said Dunn released the tow at almost 5300 ft at 12.6 p.m. The release was normal. He looked behind but could not see the glider, and searched the sky for it. He then saw a white object on the ground at the eastern end of the forest.
The witness said he landed in a clearing and found the wreckage of the glider among fallen trees and stumps, and the body of the pilot. Under examination by Mr R. A. Young, appearing for the relatives of Dunn, the witness said he could not agree with the theory that the tow-rope had fouled the tailplane. Had this occurred he would have felt a hard release and the release was smooth and normal.
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Post by thomarse on Sept 25, 2024 15:48:30 GMT 12
"Bale-out Bob" Henderson survived the mid-air breakup of Ka6 GBF near Waipawa on 28 December 82
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 25, 2024 16:07:41 GMT 12
Oh yes, I'd heard that before but totally forgot that Bob had done that. He maybe the only Kiwi glider pilot to jump out and live. And he is still gliding.
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Post by The Red Baron on Sept 25, 2024 16:42:49 GMT 12
Pilot baled out of ZK-GDI near Taupo after getting sucked up in a thunderstorm in the 1970's. Link to The Aviation Safety NetworkAlso the fatal Ventus bale out at Pauanui.... link to Aviation safety NetworkAlso my friend had a mid air collison in his hang glider in the late '70s and deployed his parachute to save himself as his glider folded up.He broke his leg on landing and he has a Caterpillar badge to prove it too. |
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Post by planewriting on Sept 25, 2024 17:35:26 GMT 12
Also ZK-GCS(2) refer asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/173932I personally nearly had a bail out (or something!) in the early 1970s at ground level. I was seated in EoN Olympia ZK-GAA at Ardmore wearing my parachute and waiting for, I think Tiger Moth ZK-AIA, to tow me up. Along comes an informative Mum explaining to her young son that I was wearing a parachute and "if you pull on this handle it will open" (fuselage explode?! me thinks). I shoved her hand away yelling a few non "F" words and severely admonished her. She got my drift and drifted off... What a way to treat New Zealand's first postwar glider, which these days sits derigged and fabric removed, out of harm's way in my syndicate owned hangar at Matamata. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 25, 2024 21:45:52 GMT 12
From The Press, 27 January 1970. Glider Pilot Bales Out(N.Z. Press Association) ROTORUA, Jan. 25. A Paeroa man parachuted 4000 ft to safety when his glider was severely buffeted on the fringe of a thunderstorm near Mount Tauhara, Taupo, on Saturday. Mr Edmund Wickes, aged 49, tried to keep the glider on course, but it became uncontrollable and he baled out. A woman motorist watched the glider spiralling to the ground and then noticed the pilot descending by parachute. Mr Wickes landed unhurt 75 yards from a road and the glider, owned by the Piako Gliding Club, Matamata, crashed three miles away. The thunderstorm dropped .86 inches of rain on Taupo in 45 minutes, bringing all sport and outdoor holiday activity to an abrupt end. |
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Post by planewriting on Sept 25, 2024 22:18:06 GMT 12
From The Press, 27 January 1970. Glider Pilot Bales Out(N.Z. Press Association) ROTORUA, Jan. 25. A Paeroa man parachuted 4000 ft to safety when his glider was severely buffeted on the fringe of a thunderstorm near Mount Tauhara, Taupo, on Saturday. Mr Edmund Wickes, aged 49, tried to keep the glider on course, but it became uncontrollable and he baled out. A woman motorist watched the glider spiralling to the ground and then noticed the pilot descending by parachute. Mr Wickes landed unhurt 75 yards from a road and the glider, owned by the Piako Gliding Club, Matamata, crashed three miles away. The thunderstorm dropped .86 inches of rain on Taupo in 45 minutes, bringing all sport and outdoor holiday activity to an abrupt end. Of course what is not mentioned here is that the glider survived the crash reasonably well and was restored by Ted Ashwell of Masterton. On 7 October 1970 it was registered to a new owner, the Ohakea Aviation Sports Club and then went on to have five further owners before being withdrawn from use by the Norfolk Aviation Sports Club on 3 June 2014. This particular K6 was a special one in that it was a Ka6CR fusealge but had Ka6E features The main one being it had an all moving tail-plane giving it a higher performance. Its designation was Ka6CR-PE. Its original owner was a champion pilot Ross Reid, who performed very well with it for five years from importing it in 1963, till its sale to the Piako Gliding Club on 10 July 1968. |
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Post by planewriting on Sept 25, 2024 22:22:26 GMT 12
And from The Press, 7 July 1973: Inquest into glider death(From Our Own Reporter) TIMARU. A verdict that Henry Andrew Aitken, aged 29. an aircraft engineer, of Kimberley Street, Christchurch, died on a mountain near Omarama on December 31, 1972, from a fracture dislocation of the cervical spine suffered after parachuting from his glider was returned by the Timaru District Coroner (Mr E. G. Bradley) at an adjourned inquest at Timaru. The coroner said it appeared that the cause of the accident was turbulent weather, which caused the pilot to abandon the glider. Unfortunately, the deceased was unable to release his parachute on landing, and probably died when swept against rocks. Evidence had been given by Dr P. W. Law, of Twizel. who said that at 10.30a.m. on January 2 he left Twizel by helicopter for Omarama where, at 11.10 a.m., he found Mr Aitken’s body on a windswept slope. It was in a parachute harness, with parachute attached. The parachute had opened. In his opinion said the witness, death had been instantaneous. Constable G. R. Keating, of Christchurch, said that Mr Aitken had left Omarama in his Skylark 3 glider at 7.30 a m. on December 31, his intention being to do a 200-mile round trip to Lake Tekapo and return. “He was last heard from about 10.30 a.m. that day, by a radio message to Omarama. About 4 p m., the gliding authorities at Omarama advised the Twizel police that the aircraft was overdue.” At 8 a.m. on January 2. aircraft wreckage and a body were seen on the mountainside. The body was rescued by a R.N.Z.A.F helicopter and taken to Wigram. Mr Aitken proposed travelling in a triangle from Omarama to Cromwell and Tekapo and back, for his Gold C badge. The glider involved was Slingsby Skylark 3B ZK-GCB. |
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Post by planewriting on Sept 25, 2024 22:39:19 GMT 12
From The Press, 17 December 1966 Coroners Court Tow-rope Believed To Have Fouled GliderFrederick Murray Dunn, of Christchurch, was killed while piloting a glider on May 4, when a tow-rope became entangled with the starboard tailplane after cast-off, in the opinion of Wing Commander O. J. O’Brien, chief inspector of aircraft accidents, in his report read to the Coroner’s Court yesterday. The report said the accident was caused by an irretrievable loss of control occasioned by the entanglement which resulted in the tailplane being torn away at disengagement, and by subsequent failure of the mainplanes when the dive brakes were extended beyond limitation speed. “Though fouling of the tailplane by the tow-rope undoubtedly created the circumstances which led to the occurrence of this accident, the manner in which fouling occurred has not yet been determined,” the report said. “Investigation to date has not shown that responsibility for the occurrence of the accident may be attributed to any person or organisation.” The Coroner (Mr A. T. Bell) found that Dunn, aged 40, married, managing director of Sailplane Services, Ltd., an organisation specialising in the construction, repair and maintenance of gliders, died at Eyrewell Forest, the cause of death being shock and hemorrhage associated with widespread gross injuries and fractures sustained when the glider he was flying crashed there on May 4. Wing Commander O’Brien said the aircraft had no unusual characteristics and its construction conformed faithfully to the designer’s specifications. It appeared to have been soundly constructed and well finished throughout. No pre-impact defect or malfunction was found in the control system. Colin Lyndon White, a commercial pilot of Christchurch, said in evidence that he was tug pilot for the test flight of the glider, a Slingsby T-51-17R, on its maiden flight from Christchurch Airport over the Eyrewell Forest. It was intended that the castoff should be made over the forest about 5000 ft and that he should photograph the sailplane as soon as practicable after. He said Dunn released the tow at almost 5300 ft at 12.6 p.m. The release was normal. He looked behind but could not see the glider, and searched the sky for it. He then saw a white object on the ground at the eastern end of the forest. The witness said he landed in a clearing and found the wreckage of the glider among fallen trees and stumps, and the body of the pilot. Under examination by Mr R. A. Young, appearing for the relatives of Dunn, the witness said he could not agree with the theory that the tow-rope had fouled the tailplane. Had this occurred he would have felt a hard release and the release was smooth and normal. What happened was that the pilot, Fred Dunn (a big man) put the glider (ZK-GEN), on its maiden test flight, in a dive on release from tow and actually caught up with the tow-rope which, wrapped itself around the glider rendering it unflyable. I'm told he tried bailing out having undone the seatbelt but got tangled in the straps and was nearly clear when it crashed into a tree. |
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Post by angelsonefive on Sept 29, 2024 17:04:13 GMT 12
21/7/84.
SZD-30 Pirat ZK-GJO lost its wings at about 5,000 feet over Carrington near Masterton while flying in strong wave conditions.
The glider was believed to have flown into a rotor cloud soon after release from the tow-plane.
The pilot, Earl Rivers, was wearing a parachute but did not have time to use it. He was found dead in the cockpit.
R.I.P.
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