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-   -   Plane down Lake Eyre North? (https://www.pprune.org/pacific-general-aviation-questions/558304-plane-down-lake-eyre-north.html)

Desert Flower 17th Mar 2015 08:24

Plane down Lake Eyre North?
 
Just heard a C208 up near YMRE (Marree) talking to another aircraft which was apparently around Lake Eyre North & saying there would be a helicopter heading out to him/them soon.

DF.

Ultralights 17th Mar 2015 09:23

is there water in Lake Eyre North? if i remember from a recent satellite photo, it looked like some water from the Alice springs floods made it to the north lake? if so, could be a sticky muddy situation.

Desert Flower 17th Mar 2015 10:19

I think there is, but not sure. Anyway, apparently there are/were two people stranded after aircraft problems. The first chopper that was sent out to rescue them broke down, & now there's another one on the way. A fun day was had by all by the sound of it - not!

DF.

onetrack 17th Mar 2015 12:13

The ABC (Australia) has picked up on the story.

Five stranded at Lake Eyre after two aircraft incidents

Desert Flower 17th Mar 2015 12:28

The good old lake strikes again! I can still vividly remember the day (29-7-90) the C210 (XAG) went into it, & all the angst the stupid pilot of it caused me.

DF.

gerry111 17th Mar 2015 15:20

Please relax, DF.
Trev's got it all in control.
And it's no big deal from the news reports. :)

Old Akro 17th Mar 2015 22:27

I see news reports say that an aircraft made an emergency landing then the Chopper sent to get everyone itself suffered a mechanical issue and couldn't take off. A third chopper from Moomba was then dispatched and the passengers returned to William Creek. .

The William Creek Facebook page has been posting spectacularly beautiful photos of the lake in recent weeks. I struggle to imagine Trevor on FB, so I'm guessing the photos are from the chief pilot. Its worth a look.

Trevor is quoted in one of the news reports saying the passengers had a " muddy evening and a sticky one". So I guess that part of the lake is in the awful dry, but goop that your feet sink into stage.

Don't know whose aircraft it is. I know Trev spends a lot of money to try and avoid these failures. Sounds like a memorable experience for those involved!

Desert Flower 17th Mar 2015 22:34


Don't know whose aircraft it is.
I don't either, but with only 2 POB I doubt if it was one of Trev's. But I don't understand why there would have been 3 POB the chopper that was sent out to rescue them - seems a trifle strange?

DF.

onetrack 18th Mar 2015 01:10

Here's a bit more info from the ABC. It looks like the landing was going O.K. until that nice hardpan turned into goop ... :{
Then it looks like they tried to turn around and fly out of it ... but it only got worse, of course ... :{

Chopper bogged in Lake Eyre during light plane rescue bid

Desert Flower 18th Mar 2015 02:24

I've only got one thing to say....:ugh:

DF.

Squawk7700 18th Mar 2015 02:24


Mr Wright said it was by luck that there were no communication problems because search and rescue missions in the area were often hindered by failing satellite systems.
?

............

Desert Flower 18th Mar 2015 03:13

Squawk - that sounds like typical trevspeak to me! ;)

DF.

Ultralights 18th Mar 2015 06:01

satellite phone systems perhaps?

edit, ABC news has updated their story
http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/632...x2-700x467.jpg


Just wait till the next tide and float it off... no problem..

Old Akro 18th Mar 2015 06:25


I've only got one thing to say....
Took the words right out of my mouth.

Ultralights 18th Mar 2015 06:35

any idea on the cause of the initial forced landing? if they had enough engine power to try to turn around before getting stuck
:hmm:

Squawk7700 18th Mar 2015 06:43

Maybe it was a "forced" landing like the Aircan "forced" landing a couple of years back...

Desert Flower 18th Mar 2015 08:05

Maybe it was "forced" like the PA-28 that put down on Lake Frome years ago because the pilot wanted to know what it felt like to land on a salt lake! :ugh:

DF.

roundsounds 18th Mar 2015 08:32

Plane down Lake Eyre North?
 
I had a guy hire a C172 a few years ago experience "carburettor ice" and land on Lake Frome. It was going well until he tried turning around to take off after the "ice melted". Net result got stuck. Had to fly / drive LAME in with 8.00 tyres and many yards of carpet. Said aircraft flew out a week later.

Captain Nomad 18th Mar 2015 09:12

Reminds me of a story I heard of an American converting his license some years ago. He was adamant and most concerned that he wanted his float plane endorsement carried over. When quizzed a little further it turns out he was wanting to visit all our 'inland lakes.' That was back when we were in a drought too...! :ooh:

Dangly Bits 18th Mar 2015 16:22

So it wasn't one of Trev's?

Desert Flower 18th Mar 2015 21:08


So it wasn't one of Trev's?
Sure doesn't look like anything he has in his fleet. Although knowing Trev, it's a wonder he hasn't decided to buy something like that!

DF.

Ultralights 18th Mar 2015 22:45

according to sources on facebook, the aircraft is from a group from the sunshine coast in Qld, on a trip to Eyres rock. sunshine coast seaplanes or something... sounds like a fun trip.

Desert Flower 19th Mar 2015 01:02


on a trip to Eyres rock
Will dills like that in the pack, it's a wonder they didn't try to land on Ayers Rock as well!

DF.

Stanwell 19th Mar 2015 06:34

That was a file photo from some time back.


Perhaps DF can fill us in on that one.

Desert Flower 19th Mar 2015 07:39


That was a file photo from some time back.
Are you sure about that?

DF.

Stanwell 19th Mar 2015 07:55

Erm... no I'm not.
It's just that I felt I'd seen it before.
Anyway, you're the man on the spot - what's the latest?
I also wonder why 3 needed to go out in the LongRanger - were they going to give it a push-start?.

Desert Flower 19th Mar 2015 08:10


Erm, no I'm not.
It's just that I felt I'd seen it before.
What do you know?
At this stage I know no more than anyone else. I tried ringing Trev a while ago but he's in YBDV. The photo of the Sea-Rey or whatever it is on the ABC website just says Supplied: Trevor Wright - so it may well be an old photo. However I've not seen it before.

DF.

Desert Flower 19th Mar 2015 08:14


I also wonder how come 3 hopped into the LongRanger to pick them up.
If you go back to post #8 in this thread you will see that I wondered exactly the same thing. Maybe the other two went along to stickybeak & got more than they bargained for!
I also have to question the wisdom of the chopper coming down from Moomba so late at night to pick everyone up.

DF.

Stanwell 19th Mar 2015 08:20

OK, thanks.

John Eacott 19th Mar 2015 08:21


Originally Posted by Stanwell (Post 8907531)
That was a file photo from some time back.


Perhaps DF can fill us in on that one.

Well, it's quite clearly shown in this overview of the LongRanger and the SeaRay:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/632...x2-940x627.jpg

Stanwell 19th Mar 2015 08:25

OK, thanks John.
I couldn't pick it as a SeaRey from that O/H pic. :ok:

Desert Flower 19th Mar 2015 08:33


Well, it's quite clearly shown in this overview of the LongRanger and the SeaRay:
John I'll take your word for it, but quite frankly I don't know how anyone could make out what the aircraft is from that shot!

DF.

TWT 19th Mar 2015 10:33

John probably has a very large computer monitor ;)

Desert Flower 19th Mar 2015 10:54


John probably has a very large computer monitor
It must be absolutely huge then, because even on my desktop monitor which is much bigger than the laptop I still can't make it out!

DF.

Creampuff 19th Mar 2015 11:01

There's a bleedin' close up picture of the stuck Searey in post 13 of this thread!

What more do you need, DF? :}

Desert Flower 19th Mar 2015 11:30


There's a bleedin' close up picture of the stuck Searey in post 13 of this thread!

What more do you need, DF?
Creampuff, instead of jumping down my neck why don't you go back & read Stanwell's comment it post #25 where he said

That was a file photo from some time back.
DF.

P.S. It has not been on any of the TV channels I watch.

gerry111 19th Mar 2015 13:00

DF,

So what you're telling us all is that the amphibious aircraft currently stuck on Lake Eyre North isn't perhaps a Searey?

And that it is only a file photo from sometime before?

You quote: "P.S. It has not been on any of the TV channels I watch."

May I commend the ABC to you? :)


You quote: "I tried ringing Trev a while ago but he's in YBDV." My rather ancient Telstra mobile phone worked perfectly when I was at Birdsville about a year ago.

Stanwell 19th Mar 2015 18:50

Umm...
Gentlemen, can someone who knows something please post and put us out of our misery.
Ta!

p.s. Thanks for your positive contribution, gerry. (no smiley)
At least DF has tried to give us a local's assessment - I should get smarter and just watch ABCTV. (yawn)

TWT 19th Mar 2015 19:10

Maybe someone who has his number should try calling Trev again :)

Creampuff 19th Mar 2015 20:24


That was a file photo from some time back.
So how many Seareys do you reckon get stuck and photographed in the quagmire of a vast inland lake each year? In rough dozens. :}

I was only poking fun, not "jumping down" anyone's "neck", especially not DF's. If it came out the wrong way, DF, my apologies. :O

The 'file photos' of aircraft stuck out there - which I assume means photos taken 'before the incident the subject of this thread' - were of the carcass of a 210 from circa 2009(?), which is still out there, and of an Airvan from circa 2014(?) which was retrieved.


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