rtfm
Well-Known Member
Hi,
I woke this morning to the news that two young men had been killed in an "Air Sea 601 microlight". The news was (as such news always is) shocking. But as the news item unfolded, my incredulity rose...
Apparently two pilots, after a night at a nearby party, decided to go flying (at 3.15am), leaving one of their mates in the hangar. Outside the weather was terrible - gusty, raining, fog patches and occasional lightning. Out they went onto the unlit airfield, took off and crashed 120m from the end of the runway. The alarm was raised by their mate back in the hangar when they didn't return an hour later. Search and rescue couldn't mount a search because the weather wouldn't permit the helicopter to take off. When the weather cleared at about 7am, the aircraft was found upside down in a field just past the end of the runway.
The actions of the two pilots (one was the instructor at the local airfield, and the other the president of the club) seem inexplicable. Alcahol is suspected as a contributing factor.
It is difficult to fathom what was going on in their minds - but when one considers that microlights are not allowed to fly at night in NZ - the mystery gets deeper.
My warmest and heartfelt prayers go out to their two families. One man had two small children, and the second was expecting to become a father in the next few months.
Full story here:
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/1318241/1795897
Duncan
I woke this morning to the news that two young men had been killed in an "Air Sea 601 microlight". The news was (as such news always is) shocking. But as the news item unfolded, my incredulity rose...
Apparently two pilots, after a night at a nearby party, decided to go flying (at 3.15am), leaving one of their mates in the hangar. Outside the weather was terrible - gusty, raining, fog patches and occasional lightning. Out they went onto the unlit airfield, took off and crashed 120m from the end of the runway. The alarm was raised by their mate back in the hangar when they didn't return an hour later. Search and rescue couldn't mount a search because the weather wouldn't permit the helicopter to take off. When the weather cleared at about 7am, the aircraft was found upside down in a field just past the end of the runway.
The actions of the two pilots (one was the instructor at the local airfield, and the other the president of the club) seem inexplicable. Alcahol is suspected as a contributing factor.
It is difficult to fathom what was going on in their minds - but when one considers that microlights are not allowed to fly at night in NZ - the mystery gets deeper.
My warmest and heartfelt prayers go out to their two families. One man had two small children, and the second was expecting to become a father in the next few months.
Full story here:
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/1318241/1795897
Duncan
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