www.sundaystartimes.co.nz
N A T I O N A L N E W S S T O R Y
Flight safety adviser set to have his wings clipped
15 June 2003
By DEIDRE MUSSEN
An Auckland flight instructor and safety adviser has admitted careless use of an aircraft by turning off its master switch during a scenic flight, disabling its engine monitoring gauges.
David James Rouse, 22, who advises Tauranga-based airline Sunair Aviation on safety issues, has pleaded guilty in Waitakere District Court to carelessly using a Cessna 172 and using an aircraft trip log to obtain a pecuniary advantage. Both charges related to a scenic flight he piloted for workmates in Auckland in February last year.
Civil Aviation Authority lawyer Claire Ryan told the court Rouse turned off the Ardmore Flying School plane's master switch during the flight, which stopped the aircraft hour meter, used to work out the charge for hiring the four-seater plane. But it also disabled the plane's safety monitoring gauges.
"With these engine-monitoring gauges rendered inoperative by the defendant's intentional actions, it removed a number of important safety warning indicators that could have potentially indicated the onset of an engine failure situation - for example an increase in oil temperature, a decrease in oil pressure and/or low fuel indication."
It also inactivated the plane's radio, meaning he had no two-way communication with other aircraft in the area.
While the flight time was about 2.7 hours, he intentionally documented it in the aircraft logbook as a one-hour flight, the time he paid for.
However, Rouse documented the longer time in his pilot's logbook. Once the flying school discovered his omissions, it was referred to the CAA. He paid the outstanding $306.60 for the longer flight and extra landings the following day.
Rouse, who holds a commercial pilot's licence, said he turned off the switch because it caused an annoying squelch from the aircraft intercom. He discovered it deactivated the hour meter only when the flight ended.
"I'd known plenty of instructors - my seniors - who had turned masters off in flight for a quiet ride. I didn't realise there would be any penalty for it."
He said he turned on the master switch at five-minute intervals to check all the safety gauges, ensuring it was a safe flight.
Rouse admitted he had realised the hour meter had not recorded the full length of the flight but had planned to discuss it with the flight school the following day. However, the school contacted him with their concerns before he had the chance.
He will be sentenced on July 14.