Saturday, October 22, 2011

Cessna 182P Skylane, Peach West Pty. Ltd, VH-TIS: Accident occurred October 15, 2011 near Ayr Airport, Brandon, QLD - Australia

During the approach, the aircraft struck a bird that shattered the windscreen. The pilot conducted a forced landing into a canefield. The aircraft sustained serious damage. The investigation is continuing.


Alan Moss of skydive Townsville had a very lucky escape with his 5 passengers after he had to bring his light aircraft down in a cane farm near Brandon following a bird strike. All passengers helped each other and managed to get out with minor cuts and ab

A Skydive Townsville plane in a cane field near Brandon.
 


A TOWNSVILLE pilot and his five passengers miraculously walked away from a crash landing in a Brandon cane paddock on Saturday night.

Townsville Skydive owner Alan Moss made the forced landing after his Cessna 182 was hit by a bird, breaking a glass window and resulting in the cabin being filled with winds while travelling at 160km/h.

Mr Moss, 43, has been a pilot for 14 years and described the incident as the "most surreal thing you could imagine".

"The most awesome thing was seeing everyone walk away from the plane virtually unscathed," Mr Moss said.

"I was doing 20 minutes circuits with our five students as part of their orientation (for skydiving).

"The plane started descending automatically when the wind came in and I just had to get the plane under control and bring it in.

"Everyone reacted really well.

"They knew there was a bird inside the plane and there was 160km/h wind inside the cabin ... everyone moved forward, which makes the plane perform better, and put their seat belts on."

Mr Moss said he picked the cane paddock out as the safest place to put the plane down.

"I knew we were not going to make the airport so I headed towards the cane," Mr Moss said.

"We're taught to land in cane because there are too many divots to land in an open field.

"It was great. When everyone got out the first thing they did was look around for everyone else and make sure they were safe," Mr Moss said.

Queensland Fire and Rescue crews said they were called to the Brandon scene at 6.45pm.

They said there was minor damage to the plane but the main issue was the fuel leak.

Ambulance crews also attended the crash, at the site just north of Ayr, but the most serious injuries sustained by the six people were some scratches and bruising.

No one was taken to hospital.

Mr Moss said flying again would not be a problem.

"I'll be flying tomorrow actually. It's business as usual" he said.

"I'm not a gambling man but I think I may just start.

"I've already had a couple of beers and I'll be having a lot more tonight."

Mr Moss did not think the incident would affect his business.

"I think this is positive for business," he said.

"The fact is there will be bird strikes in aviation and the fact that we were able to get away unscathed would make people more confident."

Mr Moss said it was up to aircraft engineers to decide the fate of the plane.

He has a second plane, which he will be using for business in the meantime.

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news.html

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