pakeha-boy
15th Sep 2006, 18:15
Pilot lands on beach
16 September 2006
By KAY BLUNDELL
A pilot made a split-second decision to land on Paraparaumu Beach at dusk yesterday to avoid ploughing into houses near Paraparaumu airport.
Kevin Lloyd, of Gisborne, and two passengers escaped injury when Mr Lloyd landed the four-seater plane after the engine stopped as he approached the airport. People on the beach had to scatter as the plane coasted in.
Mr Lloyd was flying the Mooney M20 from Wellington to Gisborne at about 900ft when the engine started "running very rough" south of Paraparaumu.
He declared a mayday and the radar controller guided him over Kapiti Island to land at Paraparaumu.
The motor then stopped at 700ft on the approach, he said. "We did not have quite enough height to get to the runway because there were a lot of houses in the way so I elected to land on the beach – a few people scattered.
"It was pretty challenging – it was quite nice to get back in one piece. I am just glad we were not over rugged terrain and were able to be guided down. It made it pretty exciting for my passengers."
Passengers Tony and George Tuse praised Mr Lloyd. "It is not scary when you have a pilot like we did who just calmly said we were going to land on the beach", Tony Tuse said.
Police Sergeant Steve Kendrick said Mr Lloyd had made "a brilliant call" not to coast across the houses to land at the airport. "Because of his skill, no one was hurt."
The plane, owned by Gisborne airport chief executive Matt Todd, was towed to Paraparaumu Boating Club.
MOR...CLOUD....h1....this wasnt one of you blokes using a non-de-plume was it???
16 September 2006
By KAY BLUNDELL
A pilot made a split-second decision to land on Paraparaumu Beach at dusk yesterday to avoid ploughing into houses near Paraparaumu airport.
Kevin Lloyd, of Gisborne, and two passengers escaped injury when Mr Lloyd landed the four-seater plane after the engine stopped as he approached the airport. People on the beach had to scatter as the plane coasted in.
Mr Lloyd was flying the Mooney M20 from Wellington to Gisborne at about 900ft when the engine started "running very rough" south of Paraparaumu.
He declared a mayday and the radar controller guided him over Kapiti Island to land at Paraparaumu.
The motor then stopped at 700ft on the approach, he said. "We did not have quite enough height to get to the runway because there were a lot of houses in the way so I elected to land on the beach – a few people scattered.
"It was pretty challenging – it was quite nice to get back in one piece. I am just glad we were not over rugged terrain and were able to be guided down. It made it pretty exciting for my passengers."
Passengers Tony and George Tuse praised Mr Lloyd. "It is not scary when you have a pilot like we did who just calmly said we were going to land on the beach", Tony Tuse said.
Police Sergeant Steve Kendrick said Mr Lloyd had made "a brilliant call" not to coast across the houses to land at the airport. "Because of his skill, no one was hurt."
The plane, owned by Gisborne airport chief executive Matt Todd, was towed to Paraparaumu Boating Club.
MOR...CLOUD....h1....this wasnt one of you blokes using a non-de-plume was it???