Crash in Tassie

[Diatryma]

Minor injuries as light plane crashes at Cambridge Airport

A light plane has crashed just metres from Cambridge Airport in southern Tasmania.

The plane with three people on board crashed on Kennedy Drive at Cambridge about 11 o'clock this morning.

Emergency crews rushed to the scene and found three people with minor injuries.

The plane has crashed on its belly on the road just metres from the airport boundary fence. It is still in one piece.

The Tasmania Fire Service is attempting to clean up fuel which has spilled over the road.

Motorists are being asked to avoid the area and the road is expected to be closed for some time.


Believe its VH-KOT - CE172.

Di

[chimbu warrior]

Interesting: if it is the same 172, I recall that this one crashed into Warragamba Dam in the early 70's. One fatality I think (passenger).

Fortunately seems to have been a better outcome this time.

[Chief galah]

Geez, we flew that machine BK-CS-BK in 1972.
CG

[jetstar1]

Same rego maybe, different plane. Should be a C172R built in 2000.
:ok:

[Diatryma]

Plane crash miracle escape

LINDA SMITH
August 27, 2007 11:06am

THREE people had a miraculous escape when they walked uninjured from a light plane crash at Cambridge yesterday.
Two female passengers and their male pilot took off from Cambridge aerodrome bound for a whale-watching expedition in the state's North-East when disaster struck just before 11am.

The engine of the Cessna 172 Skyhawk began to fail, forcing the pilot to attempt an emergency landing.

He circled the spluttering plane over the airport and brought it down to land, but a strong tailwind caused him to overshoot the runway.

The plane crashed through a barbed-wire fence before skidding across Kennedy Drive, narrowly missing vehicles on the usually busy road.

It spun slightly and stopped, tilted on its right wing, 50m from the end of the runway.

The nosewheel was torn from the front of the plane as it ripped through the fence and skidmarks were visible on the road.

The two women -- believed to be State Government employees aged in their late 20s or early 30s -- and the pilot were uninjured and had climbed from the plane by the time emergency services arrived.

Five fire trucks carrying almost 20 personnel attended the scene, with fears that 20 litres of highly flammable avgas which leaked from the plane's punctured petrol tank could spark an explosion.

The firies from Hobart Airport doused the crash site with foam after arriving within five minutes of the crash.

The occupants of the plane were examined by ambulance officers but did not need to be taken to hospital.

The plane's owner was also on site and oversaw the clean-up, which involved pumping the remaining 100 litres of fuel out of the plane's fuel tank before using a crane to lift it onto a flat-tray truck to be driven back to the hangar.

The plane is believed to be worth more than $180,000. The cause of the crash is being investigated.

Emergency crews were amazed no one was killed and praised the pilot for his efforts.

Tasmania Police inspector Donna Adams said the pilot had more than 1000 hours of experience and had been flying for 15 years.

"I think he did a remarkable job to bring it down," she said.

"It was very fortunate the roadway was quiet at the time."

She said police and firies regularly undertook training exercises to deal with events such as plane crashes which made them well prepared.

"The emergency response was first-rate, it was a well-managed and timely response," Insp Adams said.

Tasmania Fire Service acting station officer Scott Morgan agreed the occupants of the plane were very lucky.

"Any time you walk away from an aircraft crash you should go and buy yourself a Tattslotto ticket," he said.

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,5628260,00.jpg

Di :O

[ALLICEDUP]

I think this is the same aircraft that was re-built after a crash at Moorabbin at the start of 2005, does anyone know if this is the old VH EOT from Moorabbin??

[Peter Fanelli]

and skidmarks were visible on the road.


And in other places as well I would think. :ooh:

[c172aus]

I think this is the same aircraft that was re-built after a crash at Moorabbin at the start of 2005, does anyone know if this is the old VH EOT from Moorabbin??
It's previous incarnation was indeed the infamous 'EOT'.

[Windy Chester]

Quite an expensive 172.