Fatal accident Lismore

[Fantome]

Published On: Mon, Mar 25th, 2013
Lismore Shire / Local News | By Admin


Man killed in Lismore ultralight crash

Staff reporters
The pilot of an ultralight plane that crashed soon after take-off at Lismore Airport around 9am yesterday morning was a highly experienced pilot and a member of the Lismore Aero Club, police told media yesterday.
Wayne Fisher, 62, is believed to have been testing the new ultralight for the company he owned, Spectrum Aviation.
Mr Fisher had been involved in the manufacture of more than 200 ultralights during his career, local media reported.
He was killed on impact. There was no one else on board at the time.
Acting duty officer, inspector Virginia Szaak of Richmond Local Area Command, told media the plane got about 100 metres into the air before suddenly colliding with the ground.
She added that investigations were continuing into the cause of the crash.
The airport was closed to all air traffic for most of the day yesterday while emergency services and Lismore detectives investigated the crash, assisted by the Aviation Support Branch and aviation specialists.
The airport is operating

[VH-XXX]

The aircraft was nothing to do with his company, it belonged to the guy in the hangar next door as Wayne was acting at the test pilot. You can never be paid enough to be a test pilot when this kind of thing happens.

[menty]

Yes Recreational Aviation lost a great guy, a Johnathon Livinstone Seagul today, with the loss of Wayne Fisher in Lismore whilst taking a RV12 for its initial test Flight. A friend of 30 plus years who once tried to teach me to fly, who spent most of his time outside the box and who could fly anything better than anyone in recreational aviation all be it at times far to far outside the box. He will be sadly missed
God Speed, Wayne, a man who would never hurt a fly deserves wings to fly home on.

[mallymcl]

Wayne was a legend. I was 1-2 months into learning to fly with him and it was what I looked forward to on the weekends. Sometimes it was like he wasn't from Earth but it was always a great feeling up in the air with him- he built those drifters from scratch and it wasn't hard to tell you'd be looking for a while to find someone who knew more about flying those planes than him.

(Keeping in mind I am a novice)

I don't understand what happened- I felt so safe with Wayne in the seat behind me-it felt like he could land a plane anywhere. As I understood he had a big gliding background, he would often reference gliding while instructing. If it were an engine failure couldn't he bring it down on its belly? Because it was a low wing and that's where all the fuel is, does that make any crash landing fairly lethal? Any explanation would be appreciated.

This has not made me afraid of flying- I am just sad he's gone and I'll never get a chance to get in a Drifter with him again- they were a real treat to fly. Rest in peace mate. Mal.

[Lancair70]

Family and Friends are invited to a Memorial Service to celebrate Wayne's life, to be held at the Lismore Aero Club, 1 Airport Drive, South Lismore on Friday 5th April commencing at 11.00am.