Accident near Paihia over New Year...
 

My dad snapped this pic around Jan 2 or 3... somewhere near Paihia. Apparently the fire service and police were in attendance the day before. Anyone have any more info?

I am told this aircraft, FNX (aka "The Yellow Submarine"), has a somewhat checkered past... :oh:

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...oing_cheap.jpg

It sure has, as it was reported to have been ditched of the Asburton coast a number of years ago, only re-appear later all packed up in a container!

Yet it is not reported in the CAA weekly accident reports for that period.

I notice the Cessna that ditched off Ruakaka never made it into the weekly reports either. In fact the only incident reports relate to a handful of helicopters.

That was the first place I looked (CAA accident reports)... and saw all the reports on the helo's...

including one that decided it was going to fly solo, while the pilot was out of the aircraft talking to the landowner! :eek:

Thomas the Tank Engine tried that once too

judging by the damage on the wing looks like a ground loop on landing... :ouch:

Aircraft FNX - accident Paihai New Year
 

A little history re this Cessna 185. She used to be VH CJT based in Qld. She dropped sky divers at Gatton and Aratula for a few years before being sold to the 'In the footsteps of Scott' expedition in 1985. She was placed in a container and shipped to Antartica on The Southern Quest. Unfortunately the ship got crushed in the ice, and sank with the log books, but the aircraft was put together and used to fly people and equipment to safety. She sat on the ice for about a year before shipped to New Zealand. She was a beautiful aircraft and when I had her, she was painted white with blue stripes.

CJT !

"Charlie"! Is that you?

Heh, I used to fly that aeroplane!

That aeroplane was never a 'she' - more like a hairy chested brawler!

The stories it could tell. One of the few aeroplanes to have tangled with a powerline - and won!

Dr :8

PS: Not the first time its been bent .... but not by me! :E

some old digger once told me..regardless of what the meatbombers ask..NEVER put the handbrake on so they can stand on the wheel!

Good point Matty, when I do downwinds I check more so that brakes have not been locked on in flight, more so than there is a pressure there.:ok:

Now I think you know more about this prang than you are telling us!:}