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Low flying Trike hits power line.


Phil Perry

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This video was advertised with the Caveat, "Any Armchair Experts making derogatory comments re this video will be deleted As the Pilot survived. . ."

 

Well, I tell you what,. . . being a Pilot with over 1500 hours flying experience on Trikes of various types. . .,. . .I said my piece and told him to F*ck off and grow a brain. It is constructive criticism which CAN. . .in certain circumstances, help others to get it right next time and not repeat the stupidity of others. . . Sorry if that comment sounds superior and arrogant. I have no time for cowboy aviators who bring the pastime into disrepute with their activities and in so doing, quite possibly encourage others to copy their actions.

 

 

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He was very lucky!

What annoys me mate,. . is that, Some people Deserve a bit of luck in a bad situation not of their making,. . . and rarely get it. . . . I wonder if this particular bit of wholly Undeserved luck teaches the bloke something useful. . . .? ( Rhetorical )

 

 

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BuggerWhy rip off the number?

 

His name was Wayne maybe last name Kerr?

Yeah,. .. that was a bit silly since the internet never forgets,. . .and the poster said that the pilot had given him permission to post it on Social Media. . .which means the aircraft was identifiable on the vid. . . .daft really, MIND YOU,. . .Shock can do strange things to people. . .and that would qualify as a bit of a shock in MY book !. . .

 

I vividly remember landing my trike in a field at the at the back of a country pub after an engine fail, only to find that all the vehicles surrounding it were building contractors and it was being re-furbed. . . ie NO BLOODY FOOD NOR BEER ! that was another kind of shock. . . .

 

 

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Surviving or not is the determinant? I can't see the logic in that. When you feel a wire it's usually the end especially in that type of aircraft... There were plenty of wires passing under the aircraft most of the time prior to the contact. Nev

 

 

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What can you say? "Failure to keep a proper lookout" immediately springs to mind. A lot of people haven't survived power line strikes in ultralights.

 

He was fortunate not to have been electrocuted, many power lines are high tension, and HT power can jump extremely large air gaps, more than 1.2M in some cases.

 

You can end up just a fried piece of charcoal as the power goes through your machine and you, to ground - before you have even hit the ground.

 

I can recall a neighbour telling me how he drove into a construction yard with a long aluminium ladder projecting from his vehicle. The ladder caught in the HT power lines hanging across the driveway.

 

He said the first thing he knew, the vehicle stopped and smoke started coming from under the bonnet (hood). He opened the vehicle door and went to get out, to see what the problem was - and woke up in hospital 3 weeks later!

 

Witnesses said they saw the vehicle stop and start to smoke, then they saw him open the door and swing a leg out - and at that stage, there was a massive blue flash and explosion.

 

He lost a big toe on his right foot, due to the HT arcing, which went straight through his boot.

 

 

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Looks like it was reported so no idea why he got rid of the number. Perhaps someone reported it for him.

 

NTSB Identification: WPR14CA255

 

14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation

 

Accident occurred Thursday, June 19, 2014 in Caldwell, ID

 

Probable Cause Approval Date: 09/30/2014

 

Aircraft: COSMOS PHASE II PHASE II 582, registration: N234BS

 

Injuries: 1 Uninjured.

 

NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.

 

The pilot reported that he was flying his weight-shift control trike at low altitude when it struck power lines. Subsequently, the trike descended to the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the structural tubing. The pilot further stated that his smoke colored visor attached to his helmet prevented him from clearly seeing the power lines. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft that would have precluded normal operation.

 

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

 

The pilot's failure to monitor the environment and to maintain sufficient altitude to clear power lines during low altitude flight.

 

 

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Over the years, when I've been invited to land for social visits on private farm land in ultralight as well as light aircraft. I always declined until I had visited any site by road first to check for overhead wires and other little concealed surprises which may not be visble from above, nor obvious to non aviating landowners.

 

There is a three phase. three cable 10KV power line running across the approach track to my local airfield, well marked on the airfield directory diagrams, and not high / close enough to present a danger to air traffic UNLESS you suffered an EFATO on one particular RWY . . . just nice to know that it's there as it is invisible from the air and many of the timber poles are hidden by a line of small trees. . . . we've been there since 1992 and no unfortunate has collided with it thus far.

 

 

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Operating with a known hazard may present an issue IF something happens. I feel it should be fixed before rather than after a problem surfaces with an accident happening. I've operated into such places and it's an extra pressure each time you do an approach to make it "different" from the standard approach path which becomes ingrained in one's conscious over time. The difficulty of seeing the power lines makes this a bigger issue. If it's a ridge or a row of trees it more effectively commands your attention as it should.. Nev

 

 

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