Light plane crash in Canley Vale

[Nigel C]

Originally Posted by Robert Zweck

If Hoxton Park was still open, I wonder if that could have been one of his options?

Next thing we hear will be the closure of Camden.

There have been unconfirmed reports that the aircraft was heard over the Wilberforce area with engine difficulties, and that an offer was made to utilise Richmond but the pilots apparently elected to return to Bankstown. But as I said, this is an unconfirmed report.

[Andrew P]

Matt

don't take her words literally, she is using them as an idiom

[Bruce Bramwell]

Originally Posted by Matt Coughran

An Accident waiting to happen? Since when did a plane flying low to land/take off at an airport posed such a massive risk that she knew it was going to happen?

Why did you build a home right next door to a airport

[Jason H]

I was listening to the tower at the time, and they had stopped departures for the aircraft to return to BK. He had been cleared to land on 11 (straight in) and everything seemed normal, until he reported he couldn't maintain altitude.

It surely was chilling to hear him frantically look for a landing site. Tower advised him of the M7 as a possible landing spot too.

I'm interested to know how a multi engine aircraft could not maintain altitude

[Robert Zweck]

Is the former Schofields area still around or is that covered with houses?

[Nigel C]

It's there, but not in any real state for use as far as I know. It's part of the University of Western Sydney Hawkesbury campus these days.

[Maikha Ly]

Hi all

I was present at YSBK doing a preflight this morning as this was unfolding. I must say it was quite a chilling and sombering moment, one which I'll never forget.

Basically, while waiting for the fuel truck to head over, they notified us of an emergency occuring, and immediately we put the ATC radio on to hear this unfolding. We were quite confident with the pilot's calm and relaxed demeanour that he'd get the aircraft on the ground, and someone would have to come pick them up.

There was a silence of about 2 minutes after his last call (Assuming after the impact) and then in the cold calm of the airport, we could hear essentially every emergency siren in the area echo around the airport assumedly heading to the site, followed by the NPWS helicopter ('Park 2') depart and essentially 'head towards the smoke'. It was very chilling, and I had a drop or two of cold sweat.

I'll never forget either the following ATIS message, of Information Charlie present, aerodrome is closed.


Very sombering and I'm sure affected many of us present at the airport today. As soon as Delta and Echo became current, we did what anyone else would do.... have a minute's silence and then get back in the air and keep flying.

So I'll be raising a glass to you two tonight, to the pilot, you tried and you kept calm, and I'll most definitely learn from that

[Chris B.]

Originally Posted by Jason H

I'm interested to know how a multi engine aircraft could not maintain altitude

There are many reasons a multi engined aircraft cannot maintain altitude. But for obvious reasons I will not post up incase the media are lurking about and we don't even know what has happened here. So rather than speculate I'll leave it up to the ATSB why a multi engined aircraft could not maintain altitude.

[Philip Argy]

I think a twin engined aircraft suffering separate engine power failures or other problems is likely having some kind of fuel problem. Obviously we have to await the investigation but I can't see any harm in discussing here as a technological matter what sorts of problems can cause a twin engine aircraft to lose power or experience power surges on both engines a short time apart (whether or not that is what caused the crash on this occasion).

[Robert Zweck]

They talk about the dangers of light aircraft airports yet, in the same breath these critics conveniently forget about all the people who were killed on NSW roads last week.........by cars, a far more lethal weapon.