Light Aircraft Down West Auckland 4 Nov 06
 

Radio NZ reporting a light a/c has crashed (into a winery!) in West Auckland. 6 occupants parachuted out before touchdown, pilot was recovered from the a/c and reported safe.

Unusual to parachute out, anyway hope everyone is ok.

Not if it was a meat bomber ! :ok:

It wouldn't be the first time jumpers have had an unexpected "go" call in a stricken aircraft from that particular airfield! (I'm guessing, from the crash site, it was based out of Whenuapai.)

Pilot taken to hospital with "moderate" injuries. Could have been much worse - those wineries, with their acres of fenceposts, can really damage people.

update
 

Parachutists jump as plane crash lands
04 November 2006

UPDATED REPORT 12.45pm
A light plane crash landed into the vines at a Kumeu vineyard today, just minutes after six members of a parachuting club safely exited the aircraft.


Waitakere chief fire officer Peter Wilding said the plane had left Whenuapai air base, northwest of Auckland, with six parachutists and a pilot on board.

The fire service received a 111 call at 11.24am from a member of the public who had seen smoke coming out of the flying aircraft.

Mr Wilding said the six parachutists jumped from the plane once they realised it was in trouble.

"The pilot stayed with the aircraft and landed it," he said.

The pilot had received no serious injuries, but had been taken away by ambulance for observation, Mr Wilding said.

All the parachutists had landed safely and been accounted for.

The plane had caused some damage to vines and poles.

"But it's only a small amount of damage, when you consider a plane has crashed here, it's quite amazing.

"It's a very fortunate accident really," Mr Wilding said.

The plane was carrying 140 litres of aviation fuel on board, and the fire service had treated it with foam to suppress any fire risk, he said.

Police were in attendance, and the Civil Aviation Authority would also conduct an investigation.

Police said the plane flipped when it landed, about 10 minutes after it set off.

Confirmed reports of the aircraft involved being DXH, Auckland Skydivers' C206, which has the Continental IO-550 fitted.
Well done getting it down safely MS :D

Bet they breath tested him in hospital. :}

But yeah, good job all round and the meat bombs got to jump after all.:ok:

Well done getting down safely! :ok:

glad all ok!

Would of breath tested the pilot for sure :E

One thing is given for jump flying, the jumpers out the back will ALWAYS jump.... unless your engine quits below 500' :ok:

Another "jump ship" that has had a moded engine goes down.....:ugh: When will they learn?

CMN :ok:

Yeah, reminiscent in some ways of the Caravan that lost the tail due to an unfortunate parachutist's canopy streaming out and getting wrapped round it in Warrnambool, Vic, if my memory serves (it may well not!).
Anyhow, I think the other jumpers jumped and the pilot struggled with it for a while; then, realising the controls weren't doing anything any more, jumped out too.
Good effort there, and well done to the winery gate-crasher here!

Mr Wilding sounds like a bit of a sick puppy?

A C206 with an IO550...learn what?

:ugh:

OK, I give in. The 'nods and winks' going around are perplexing me. C206 + IO550 = ??? Is there some inherent flaw in the combination?

Arm,
That was Nagambie and luckily the driver was an experienced jumper cos he only just got out in time;)

Another aircraft wreck for the Whenuapai Sports Flying Clubs photo album of shame:p

"The plane was carrying 140 litres of aviation fuel on board, and the fire service had treated it with foam"

I wonder how thats going to effect this year vintage?

"But it's only a small amount of damage, when you consider a plane has crashed here..."

Is it just me or does this guy sound a little disappointed?


Well done to the pilot. Vineyards dont look like the easiest place to park a sick aircraft. Job well done.:ok:

ZK-NSN: It might have a beneficial effect.

I don't know what the composition of modern foam is, but the stuff they used some years back was almost as good as Urea because it had so much nitrogen in it.

Actually mattyj. The two recent engine failures for Whenuapai have resulted in the pilots walking away. Sounds like good training to me. :rolleyes: Can't blame outsourced maintenance on Whenuapai

Content tempermental
 

I personally know TWO other pilots who were flying C206 parachuting when the engine went BANG! then quiet. While on climb to drop height, the engine is often run at max rated power.

The Continental engine does not like being run at full power longer than the figure in the flight manual - I think five minutes. If you continue to push it, then the connecting rod will stop holding hands and fire the piston through the block.

This is exactly what happened to the above mentioned pilots. They both prefer turboprops (first choice) or Lycomings (second choice).

Well done for a good landing.
ECT?

yeah those dam Continentals, Always treat with respect.

I think you may find that most Continental IO540 can rull max power indefinately, but most certainly the turbo models i have flown have a 5 min max such as the C210t,
however the Cirrus Sr22 doesnt have a limit on max continuous which is full power.

Im sure it will be unfortunately due to all the temperature cycles that the poor engine goes through! ouch :sad: