AustinPowers
10th Feb 2006, 10:56
Honey ... wake up, we're about to crash
By NIGEL ADLAM
10feb06
A COUPLE has been awarded more than $780,000 for injuries suffered during a plane crash in the Territory.
Peter Jeffs was given $317,000 and his wife Elaine $464,000. Mr Jeffs, who had been sleeping, woke up and asked his wife: "Are we in Darwin?" She said: "No, we're going to crash."
The Supreme Court judgment -- delivered more than seven years after the accident -- was made against Air Manymak.
Mr and Mrs Jeffs were passengers in a Cessna 210 flying from Maningrida, in Arnhem Land, to Darwin in 1998.
Mrs Jeffs, now 53, noticed the temperature gauge was "very high" and the pilot began radioing: "Mayday, mayday!"
Mr Jeffs then woke up and asked his wife if they were in Darwin yet. She answered: "No, we're going to crash."
The aircraft came down steeply, hit the ground at Gunbalanya, near Jabiru, and bounced up 15-20m.
Supreme Court judge Sally Thomas said Mr Jeffs felt a "searing pain" radiating through his back.
Mrs Jeffs was lying across her seat and complained of pain. The seat had broken loose from its mountings and had gone partly under the instrument panel. She had been smothered with fuel and was "petrified" she was going to burn, Justice Thomas said.
The pilot was unconscious and bleeding badly.
A ruptured wing tank was pouring fuel over her and she was being badly burnt.
Mr Jeffs, now 66, helped free his wife's legs and moved her away from the aircraft.
He then helped another passenger and they both dragged the pilot out.
Mr Jeffs suffered a broken vertebra, abdominal injuries, whiplash, shoulder injury, ruptured biceps, post traumatic stress and anxiety, the court heard.
His wife suffered whiplash, a broken wrist and bruised chest, shoulders and hips.
Justice Thomas said the crash was a "terrifying ordeal".
Mr and Mrs Jeffs were employed by the Arnhemland Progress Association.
The couple have moved south since the accident
Nearly cracked the big figure there !!
Interestingly, the hard copy had " was made against Air North and Air Manymak" .... and Air North seems to have disappeared in their net version. I'm sure there were a few Whoops !! said. So was Airnorth involved or not ?!
Austin
By NIGEL ADLAM
10feb06
A COUPLE has been awarded more than $780,000 for injuries suffered during a plane crash in the Territory.
Peter Jeffs was given $317,000 and his wife Elaine $464,000. Mr Jeffs, who had been sleeping, woke up and asked his wife: "Are we in Darwin?" She said: "No, we're going to crash."
The Supreme Court judgment -- delivered more than seven years after the accident -- was made against Air Manymak.
Mr and Mrs Jeffs were passengers in a Cessna 210 flying from Maningrida, in Arnhem Land, to Darwin in 1998.
Mrs Jeffs, now 53, noticed the temperature gauge was "very high" and the pilot began radioing: "Mayday, mayday!"
Mr Jeffs then woke up and asked his wife if they were in Darwin yet. She answered: "No, we're going to crash."
The aircraft came down steeply, hit the ground at Gunbalanya, near Jabiru, and bounced up 15-20m.
Supreme Court judge Sally Thomas said Mr Jeffs felt a "searing pain" radiating through his back.
Mrs Jeffs was lying across her seat and complained of pain. The seat had broken loose from its mountings and had gone partly under the instrument panel. She had been smothered with fuel and was "petrified" she was going to burn, Justice Thomas said.
The pilot was unconscious and bleeding badly.
A ruptured wing tank was pouring fuel over her and she was being badly burnt.
Mr Jeffs, now 66, helped free his wife's legs and moved her away from the aircraft.
He then helped another passenger and they both dragged the pilot out.
Mr Jeffs suffered a broken vertebra, abdominal injuries, whiplash, shoulder injury, ruptured biceps, post traumatic stress and anxiety, the court heard.
His wife suffered whiplash, a broken wrist and bruised chest, shoulders and hips.
Justice Thomas said the crash was a "terrifying ordeal".
Mr and Mrs Jeffs were employed by the Arnhemland Progress Association.
The couple have moved south since the accident
Nearly cracked the big figure there !!
Interestingly, the hard copy had " was made against Air North and Air Manymak" .... and Air North seems to have disappeared in their net version. I'm sure there were a few Whoops !! said. So was Airnorth involved or not ?!
Austin