Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 22, 2007 11:32:28 GMT 12
I was saddened to read this morning that the World Gliding Champs at Omarama were rocked by the death of a competitor yesterday. My condolences to his family, friends and all involved with the event. Here's a TVNZ report.
tvnz.co.nz/view/page/413551/1518741
German champ named as dead glider pilot
Dec 22, 2007 7:17 AM
The glider pilot who died in a crash near Wanaka was a former German national champion at the sport.
59-year-old Herbert Weiss had almost 40 years experience in gliders, and had flown almost nine thousand hours.
Civil Aviation Inspectors are now at the site of the crash, going over the wreckage.
The european was taking part in the FAI World Grand Prix Gliding Championship, at Omarama in the Mackenzie country, but his glider crashed into a hillside in central Otago.
Eighteen gliders from 11 countries were taking part in the race that ended around 5.30pm.
All except one kiwi were from overseas.
They had just finished day three of the six-day event when one of the gliders failed to return home.
A helicopter carrying paramedics found the wreckage of a glider just before 9pm on Friday night.
The body of the glider pilot was found soon afterwards.
The crash happened at the northern end of Lake Wanaka.
The Rescue Coordination Centre says conditions in Wanaka last night couldn't have been better suited for gliding.
Rescue Centre spokesman Ross Henderson says weather-wise, it was all in his favour.
He says there were thermal winds which are ideal for gliding.
It is the second fatal accident for the Omarama club in little over a year.
Last November, a father and son were killed after their glider crashed not too many kilometres from Friday's accident.
Father and son Owen and James Truelove were flying a motorised glider last November when they crashed into a hillside near Lake Hawea.
The racers on Friday have been carrying telemetry transmitters which have allowed the whole gliding world an opportunity to watch the grand prix event from anywhere in the world.
A full CAA and police investigation is already underway to determine what caused Friday's accident.
tvnz.co.nz/view/page/413551/1518741
German champ named as dead glider pilot
Dec 22, 2007 7:17 AM
The glider pilot who died in a crash near Wanaka was a former German national champion at the sport.
59-year-old Herbert Weiss had almost 40 years experience in gliders, and had flown almost nine thousand hours.
Civil Aviation Inspectors are now at the site of the crash, going over the wreckage.
The european was taking part in the FAI World Grand Prix Gliding Championship, at Omarama in the Mackenzie country, but his glider crashed into a hillside in central Otago.
Eighteen gliders from 11 countries were taking part in the race that ended around 5.30pm.
All except one kiwi were from overseas.
They had just finished day three of the six-day event when one of the gliders failed to return home.
A helicopter carrying paramedics found the wreckage of a glider just before 9pm on Friday night.
The body of the glider pilot was found soon afterwards.
The crash happened at the northern end of Lake Wanaka.
The Rescue Coordination Centre says conditions in Wanaka last night couldn't have been better suited for gliding.
Rescue Centre spokesman Ross Henderson says weather-wise, it was all in his favour.
He says there were thermal winds which are ideal for gliding.
It is the second fatal accident for the Omarama club in little over a year.
Last November, a father and son were killed after their glider crashed not too many kilometres from Friday's accident.
Father and son Owen and James Truelove were flying a motorised glider last November when they crashed into a hillside near Lake Hawea.
The racers on Friday have been carrying telemetry transmitters which have allowed the whole gliding world an opportunity to watch the grand prix event from anywhere in the world.
A full CAA and police investigation is already underway to determine what caused Friday's accident.
