Pilot battles flames to land safely
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Pilot battles flames to land safely
From ninemsn
Pilot battles flames to land safely
Tuesday Oct 4 17:44 AEST
Crop duster Fred Clipperton can thank years of experience for helping him survive a fireball that engulfed his plane as he sprayed fields in the NSW Riverina, friends say.
With one wing on fire, his face and hands badly burnt and the cockpit full of choking black smoke, 69-year-old Mr Clipperton on Monday battled to control his beleaguered aircraft before landing safely and escaping the flames.
"He has to be a good pilot otherwise he'd be dead," said his friend and fellow crop-duster pilot Nigel Wettenhall on Tuesday.
"He's a guy that's spent 30,000 odd hours flying fairly close to the ground."
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Mr Clipperton, from Deniliquin, had refuelled for his final spray of the day when disaster struck near Moama.
He later told police he heard a loud bang at an altitude of about 30 metres.
Witnesses saw the right wing of his Weatherly crop dusting aircraft in flames as it banked over crops.
In pain and battling to see through smoke, Mr Clipperton held on long enough to land the plane safely at Bunnaloo, from where he was taken to Deniliquin Hospital.
He was in a satisfactory condition.
Police believe the fire may have been the result of an incorrectly fitted fuel cap.
İAAP 2005
Pilot battles flames to land safely
Tuesday Oct 4 17:44 AEST
Crop duster Fred Clipperton can thank years of experience for helping him survive a fireball that engulfed his plane as he sprayed fields in the NSW Riverina, friends say.
With one wing on fire, his face and hands badly burnt and the cockpit full of choking black smoke, 69-year-old Mr Clipperton on Monday battled to control his beleaguered aircraft before landing safely and escaping the flames.
"He has to be a good pilot otherwise he'd be dead," said his friend and fellow crop-duster pilot Nigel Wettenhall on Tuesday.
"He's a guy that's spent 30,000 odd hours flying fairly close to the ground."
advertisement
Mr Clipperton, from Deniliquin, had refuelled for his final spray of the day when disaster struck near Moama.
He later told police he heard a loud bang at an altitude of about 30 metres.
Witnesses saw the right wing of his Weatherly crop dusting aircraft in flames as it banked over crops.
In pain and battling to see through smoke, Mr Clipperton held on long enough to land the plane safely at Bunnaloo, from where he was taken to Deniliquin Hospital.
He was in a satisfactory condition.
Police believe the fire may have been the result of an incorrectly fitted fuel cap.
İAAP 2005
Not enough $$$ ...
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Picture of Turbine Thrush and accident aeroplane was piston 'Weatherly'
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As Currawong says its nice to see that Thrush have changed their design and paint scheme to now exactly match their competitors. It should be a much improved aircraft (sorry for the bias)
