A trial has started in Queenstown for a commercial airline pilot charged with operating an aircraft in a careless manner while on a Sydney-bound flight.
The pilot, 52, was flying a Pacific Blue aircraft from Queenstown to Sydney on June 22, 2010 when he allegedly breached civil aviation rules.
The defended hearing before Judge Kevin Phillips started this morning in the Queenstown District Court.
Last June, a lawyer entered not guilty pleas to charges of operating a Boeing 737 in a careless manner that caused unnecessary danger to persons, passengers and crew and operating an aircraft in a careless manner.
The Civil Aviation Authority laid the charges after the aircraft left Queenstown at dusk in midwinter, allegedly outside a takeoff window.
Queenstown Airport is surrounded by mountains and regulations stipulate planes must take off with at least 30 minutes of twilight remaining.
The trial is set down for one week.
A Pacific Blue pilot accused of breaching aviation regulations during a late takeoff from Queenstown Airport is appearing in court.
The pilot, who has name suppression, is accused of operating a Boeing 737 in a careless manner, after taking off at dusk and in bad weather in June 2010.
Planes must depart Queenstown Airport no later than 30 minutes before twilight, as the airport has no radar or runway lights.
The pilot has denied the charge, brought by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
A second charge, of operating an aircraft in a careless manner that caused unnecessary danger to people, passengers and crew, was withdrawn by the CAA.
The hearing, which began in Queenstown District Court today, is set down for two weeks, a CAA spokeswoman told NZ Newswire.
The charge carries a maximum fine of $7000.
No comments:
Post a Comment