Post by corsair67 on Jan 8, 2007 15:42:10 GMT 12
Very sad indeed. May they rest in peace.
From The Australian.
Two pilots dead on joy flight
Ilya Gridneff
January 08, 2007
TWO experienced pilots died during a recreational flight at the weekend after their light plane crashed in the NSW southern tablelands.
The wreckage of the plane - containing the bodies of John Guthrie, 65, a father of two, and Neville Smith, 54, a father of three - was found near Gunning yesterday.
The two friends, who lived in Goulburn, took their $130,000 Czech-built Sting for a flight from the local airport on Saturday, and were spotted flying over the town's golf course about 3pm.
A search was launched at 8.30pm when the pair failed to return to the airport, and the wreck was found soon after the search resumed early yesterday.
A good friend of the pair, who did not wish to be named, said she was devastated by the news.
"They were experienced pilots and it's hard to say what happened," said the friend, who taught Mr Smith to fly and has known Mr Guthrie for years.
"Most likely turbulence has got them. It's been typical summer weather - there have been strong down-draughts and up-draughts. Turbulence quite often gets someone at this time of year.
"They flew regularly, most weekends, not necessarily together, but it varied where they would go. Sometimes, like this flight, it would be an hour or two to Wollongong for lunch and back. It's so sad and shocking."
Mr Guthrie was a retired Goulburn council town planner and Mr Smith owned a hardware business, the Goulburn Power Centre.
"Eighty per cent of aviation accidents are down to human error but it's too early to say what happened," said the executive director of the Recreational Aviation Association, Paul Middleton. "We have sent an expert to assist police, but these things take time."
From The Australian.
Two pilots dead on joy flight
Ilya Gridneff
January 08, 2007
TWO experienced pilots died during a recreational flight at the weekend after their light plane crashed in the NSW southern tablelands.
The wreckage of the plane - containing the bodies of John Guthrie, 65, a father of two, and Neville Smith, 54, a father of three - was found near Gunning yesterday.
The two friends, who lived in Goulburn, took their $130,000 Czech-built Sting for a flight from the local airport on Saturday, and were spotted flying over the town's golf course about 3pm.
A search was launched at 8.30pm when the pair failed to return to the airport, and the wreck was found soon after the search resumed early yesterday.
A good friend of the pair, who did not wish to be named, said she was devastated by the news.
"They were experienced pilots and it's hard to say what happened," said the friend, who taught Mr Smith to fly and has known Mr Guthrie for years.
"Most likely turbulence has got them. It's been typical summer weather - there have been strong down-draughts and up-draughts. Turbulence quite often gets someone at this time of year.
"They flew regularly, most weekends, not necessarily together, but it varied where they would go. Sometimes, like this flight, it would be an hour or two to Wollongong for lunch and back. It's so sad and shocking."
Mr Guthrie was a retired Goulburn council town planner and Mr Smith owned a hardware business, the Goulburn Power Centre.
"Eighty per cent of aviation accidents are down to human error but it's too early to say what happened," said the executive director of the Recreational Aviation Association, Paul Middleton. "We have sent an expert to assist police, but these things take time."
