DeBurcs
18th Oct 2005, 08:33
(The site where) A light aircraft ... burst into flames after crash landing on a busy New Zealand highway this afternoon resembled a "mini war-zone" - but both people on board managed to survive.
The pair were flying near Lake Taupo, about 380 kilometres from Wellington, when the engine ... (failed) ..., rescue helicopter pilot Dan Harcourt said.
"The pilot indicated they had mechanical failure. He spoke about the alternator - the electrical generating component of the engine," he said.
The ... pilot tried to bring his crippled aircraft down onto State Highway 1 but it clipped power lines, veered onto the side of the road and "disintegrated", Senior Sergeant Tony Jeurissen told National Radio.
Another witness, Alex Scott, told the radio station "things started sizzling and exploding" after the ...(aircraft)...crash landed.
Mr Harcourt said: "As we flew in to land it was just a scene of burnt debris laying everywhere. And the fire service were there at the time and they'd covered the area with foam which gave the impression of a little mini war-zone."
He said local residents dragged the pilot, 67, and his passenger from the burning fuselage into the lake.
"Someone took them to the cold water to treat them for their burns," he said.
He said neither man appeared to have any other injuries.
"They obviously crash landed their ...(aircraft)... fairly well but unfortunately it caught fire," he said.
Both were airlifted to Waikato Hospital where they are in a serious condition, a hospital spokeswoman said.
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In my boredom, I reworded the article to address bad grammar, incorrect terminology and prodigious mis-use of the word "plane".
I should get a cut of the journo's salary.
The pair were flying near Lake Taupo, about 380 kilometres from Wellington, when the engine ... (failed) ..., rescue helicopter pilot Dan Harcourt said.
"The pilot indicated they had mechanical failure. He spoke about the alternator - the electrical generating component of the engine," he said.
The ... pilot tried to bring his crippled aircraft down onto State Highway 1 but it clipped power lines, veered onto the side of the road and "disintegrated", Senior Sergeant Tony Jeurissen told National Radio.
Another witness, Alex Scott, told the radio station "things started sizzling and exploding" after the ...(aircraft)...crash landed.
Mr Harcourt said: "As we flew in to land it was just a scene of burnt debris laying everywhere. And the fire service were there at the time and they'd covered the area with foam which gave the impression of a little mini war-zone."
He said local residents dragged the pilot, 67, and his passenger from the burning fuselage into the lake.
"Someone took them to the cold water to treat them for their burns," he said.
He said neither man appeared to have any other injuries.
"They obviously crash landed their ...(aircraft)... fairly well but unfortunately it caught fire," he said.
Both were airlifted to Waikato Hospital where they are in a serious condition, a hospital spokeswoman said.
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In my boredom, I reworded the article to address bad grammar, incorrect terminology and prodigious mis-use of the word "plane".
I should get a cut of the journo's salary.