Light plane crashes at Goolwa
 

From the Adelaide Advertiser online:

RENATO CASTELLO
October 25,

A LIGHT plane has crashed at the Goolwa Airfield with the pilot - aged in his 50s - suffering head and spinal injuries in the accident.

It is understood the plane crashed shortly after take-off at the airfield, on Airport Rd, Currency Creek.

An airport spokesman said the tiger moth plane was attempting to land when strong winds caused the plane to 'spin around' out of control.

Emergency services crew are at the scene and a helicopter response retrieval team has been dispatched from Flinders Hospital.

DF.

Looking at the area forecast and local TAF the wx is nothing great, gusting to 40 at some locations.

From memory they closed the cross strip at Goolwa some years ago thus limiting the options particularly with a gusty westerly - I have seen some interesting arrivals when there back then.

Thoughts with the pilot.

Agreed, the surrounding TAFs (YPAD, YMBD) might have been 'nothing great'... but I've found that Goolwa is usually worse than the surrounding airports. Particularly with a nasty west/south westerly, as is usually the case when it hits the fan in the area.

I've experienced some significant shear on final for the southern runway (19?.. it's been a while).. enough to go around and give it away. Usually as the westerly came over the buildings/hangars.

Can't remember re the cross strip, but am sure it was too short for a lot of aircraft.

Tiger VH-FBO
 

The a/c is Teger Moth VH-FBO.

Vision shown on Ch10 news.

Pilot airlifted to Adelaide with head injuries.

Expert comments by the Police from an interview on the news too...

"Conditions today would not be conducive for flying these type of planes - I would suggest"


Wow - i'll be looking to the Police from now on for my met forecasts!

James Michael said:

The East West strip was operational 4 weeks ago. It's short and undulating but would be long enough for most in a strong westerly.

KingRB that is a PERFECTLY valid comment for a Tiger from the Police. If you'd flown one you'd know this. It's not uncommon for Tigers to hit the hangars once the thermals start and only a brave pilot would continue to fly.

VH-XXX, unless the quoted plod has aviation qualifications then his comment is uninformed speculation.

tipsy:=

Saw the news and looked fairly nasty just the same!! Hope he gets over his injuries without too much hassle. would have been one hell of a ride:ouch:

I know plenty of cops that are pilots. He could well be. Why does everyone slag the media and cops for their comments in these situations and for once it's a perfectly valid one and he's still being slagged.

For the record, winds down in those parts today were a gusty hot northerly and not conducive to Tiger flying except for the very experienced.

Well that was my point XXX - he was not being interviewed as a pilot, or an aviation expert - he was being interviewed as the Police.

Unless he flies them himself, how is he qualified to be stating if weather conditions are appropriate for flying or not?

The way the interview portrayed to me, was this rediculous assumption that just because it was a vintage aircraft, a mere breath of wind would break it.

VH-XXX, read again exactly what I said.

People will "slag" as you say anybody that makes comments they are not qualified to make. That is why I never make comments regarding brain surgery.

I have however flown a Tiger once or twice and yes there are times and circumstances that I would avoid. I would not however presume to cast judgement on whether or not todays weather was conducive or to the pilots competence. To do so would at best be presumptive and speculative.

Aparently you feel that if the police and/or media do so then this presumtion and speculation suddenly becomes authoritive.

I do not agree

tipsy:=

C'mon yous lot... the Policeman's coment on Sky was the pilot should go buy a lottery ticket - sounds like a good idea to me :)

Tipsy:

Don't you mean uniformed speculation?

This place is starting to get like aus.aviation

By sheer fluke Peter, this from that very NG - from one who was on the spot.

Accident was a stall-spin from low altitude following a downwind turn.

Conditions were quite strong winds (25 gusting 35) and significant
turbulence. The airfield appeared to be underneath a prominent
standing wave most of the day.

As for the fly-in, 51 aircraft, 18 Austers. A good turn up considering
the conditions.

The policeman's comment that the pilot should buy a lottery ticket was just shameful.
This kind of encouragement of gambling to a member of a society already chronically affected by addiction to gaming machines and the like is absolutely irresponsible.
He or she should be suspended, suspended I tell you!

Quote:

---

The airfield appeared to be underneath a prominent
standing wave most of the day

---

Is that some kind of local foo-nom-e-non?

On my maps, the highest bits of dirt for miles around Goolwa are 1-2000' - hardly conducive to "standing waves".

GG :cool:

i have a lot of time on Tigers. They are a safe and beautiful aeroplane to fly. That is unless the wind is strong, then the claws come out. As the police rightly stated, it was not a day for Tigers yesterday. I would not have dreamed of getting mine out in 35 - 45kt winds. People at the fly in were surprised to see 1 approaching the field. Fortunately the pilot has lived to learn a hard lesson, and hopefully the aircraft will be spared. My thoughts are with him and his family.