Waikato glider crash Apr 23

[Brett]

nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/5520200/crashed-trainee-glider-pilot-instructor-named/

Crashed trainee glider pilot, instructor named:

A teenage trainee pilot remains in a critical condition in intensive care today as an investigation continues into last night's glider crash in the Waikato.

Christchurch boy Ryan Hodgkinson, 14, flying with 77-year-old instructor Thomas Orr, landed short of the runway at Matamata Aerodome in Waharoa around 5pm.

Ryan suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to Waikato Hospital.

He was in a critical but stable condition, and his family was with him, a hospital spokeswoman said today.

A student at Christchurch's Middleton Grange School, he was taking part in an Air Training Corps (ATC) camp.

Mr Orr, from Taupo, suffered moderate back injuries and was also taken to hospital for treatment.

He was progressing well in a ward, Waikato Hospital communications director Mary Anne Gill said.

Ryan's father, Ian Hodgkinson, said today the family was hoping for a good outcome.

"He's a very sporty boy so hopefully he'll have a very quick recovery," he said in a statement.

Waikato Hospital trauma specialist Dr Grant Christey said Ryan sustained "multiple severe multisystem injuries".

He was undergoing "further investigations and treatment with regard to his injuries".

Mr Orr's wife, former Taupo mayor Joan Williamson-Orr, said the couple's thoughts were with Ryan.

Air Force media adviser Squadron Leader Kavae Tamariki said the ATC camp was to give cadets experience with gliders.

It was attended by cadets from throughout New Zealand .

Matamata police Sergeant Graham McGurk said a number of people witnessed the crash which happened about one kilometre away from the southern end of the airfield.

The Civil Aviation Authority is investigating how the accident occurred.

Commandant Guy Bendall, of the New Zealand Cadet Forces, said last night Ryan was one of 20 teens from around the country taking part in the camp.

The glider crashed minutes after takeoff but he did not know who was in control at the time of the accident, he told The Dominion Post.

[Dave Homewood]

I just posted about this in the Air Training Corps board after hearing about it on the radio. This post above has more detail though. What an awful crash for all involvd and I wish young Ryan a speedy recovery and all the best.

[fletcherfu24]

One story says it..''plummeted into an airfield at the Matamata Aerodrome''........

[lumpy]

This does seem a bit of an odd one .The nature of gliding means "out" landings are not unusual ,but rearly result in serious injury . Will be interested to follow the cause .I hope it doesnt result in a rethink about wether atc run these camps in the future .

[fletcherfu24]

It appears it was being aerotowed and has stalled and spun in off the tow,which is amazing as at Matamata,to crash back onto the runway it can't have been much over a 100 feet up.
Looking at the photo its obviously hit nose down and rotating judging by the damage.

[lumpy]

Even odder ,I cant quite fathom how you could stall on an aerotow ( pretty easy on a winch though ) . I see the air brakes are out ,which also seems odd .

[fletcherfu24]

Gliding New Zealand's Brian Chesterman said the two-man glider pitched upwards and entered a spin before spiralling towards the ground.
It was unlike anything he'd ever seen, he told The Press newspaper.

He's a very experienced glider pilot eyewitness.
The airbrakes probably flew out on impact,even if it had taken off with them out Matamatas Pawnee has enough grunt to drag a glider up with the airbrakes out,thats happened before.

[sqwark2k]

The accident occured during a simulated cable break, the tow most likely been detached prior to the incipient spin it entered.

[flyjoe180]

Nasty damage, lucky the injuries weren't worse. Craig, was that nose cut to free the student or was it crunched up like that?

[fletcherfu24]

Which would mean it was off a winch launch and would explain how there was enough height to enter a spin.

[sqwark2k]

Negative, the ATC National Gliding Camps use aerotow.... The accident started near the end of the runway at approx 300ft... a winch launch would have a glider closer to 1000ft+ at the top of the launch.

Some of the damage seen in the photo was caused by emergency services cutting Ryan free.

S2K

[Peter Lewis]

From the CAA accident brief:

PZL-Swidnik ZK-GPW

"During a simulated rope failure at 300ft, the instructor alleges that the student was slow to realise that the rope had been released and initiated a right hand climbing turn without sufficient airspeed leading the glider to stall and hit the ground.
Both instructor and student were seriously injured."

[Dave Homewood]

Has anyone got any news on these two, how are they doing?

[fletcherfu24]

During a simulated rope failure at 300ft

Thats the part I don't get,theres no way you practise a tow rope failure buy pulling the rope on take off at 300 feet...

[sqwark2k]

My bet is the intent was to do a 180 turn back onto the runway.

[lumpy]

I doubt they would pull the realease if a 180 turn was needed to get onto the runway . ( not from 300ft anyway ) Possible however that the tow pilot may have initiated a lower than normal first turn ( he would have been in on the intent to do a cable break , and would have positioned himself accordingly )

[Dave Homewood]

As with any accident the speculation is pointless till the facts are reported in the official accident report. Sorry to by a damper but the forum does have a policy of non-speculation over accidents.

How are the victims doing?

[obiwan27]

recent article in 'The Press' last week showed the young man being welcomed home my an ATC guard of honour. He is in a wheelchair for now but will need to have physio to strengthen his legs. He will walk again and lead a normal life fater Doctors initially feared that he had fractured or broken his spine. he still wants to persue an aviation career so here's hoping he achieves his goal.

[obiwan27]

Here's the link to the article...

www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch/2474382/Crash-survivor-still-wants-to-fly

[Dave Homewood]

Good news, thanks for that.