RFguy Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 (edited) pilot survived. 'trapped in the crash' lucky it didnt catch fire. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-01/plane-crash-bunbury-airport-authorities-responding/103536362 Edited March 1 by RFguy 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty_d Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 Hope he makes it. "Critical" is not good. Zenith CH-750 by the looks of it. Might be a 701 with added windows aft of the door. Looks like polished bare aluminium which is unusual for these slab sided planes. Wonder if it was test flying before painting? 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planedriver Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 We can only hope and pray for a good outcome. Looks like it could have been a brand new rig. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFguy Posted March 1 Author Share Posted March 1 This is the sort of crash where you want the battery to have a isolator at the battery, like GA aircraft. Maybe even double pole. and have non cracking insulated covers on exposed terminals 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingVizsla Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 VH Rego (can see it on the 9News picture). Media are saying it was at the end of the runway. His injuries - facial & smashed pelvis. He was lucky the accident was quickly reported and responded to. Hoping for a good recovery. Pilot suffers critical injuries in plane crash south of Perth 7NEWS.COM.AU It took rescue teams about 25 minutes to free the man from the mangled aircraft. Bunbury Airport: Pilot critical after light plane crash south of Perth WWW.9NEWS.COM.AU A pilot is fighting for his life after a light plane crash south of Perth. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rankamateur Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 9 hours ago, Marty_d said: Looks like polished bare aluminium which is unusual for these slab sided planes. Wonder if it was test flying before painting? No way anyone would spend all that time polishing just to make the paint hard to keep on. I think he meant it when he polished it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 Certainly NOT the way you'd want things to turn out. You never know what's around the corner for you. How disappointing for him. I hope He recovers well. Nev 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 Looks as though there was a bit of a breeze there. Nev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetrack Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 The wind has been screaming from the SE for the last 24 hrs, as a big high pressure system moves into the Bight, and it's coming up against a big trough running N-S through the Western part of W.A., and a low pressure system N of Geraldton. I was in the Wheatbelt yesterday, and the wind was relentless, strong and gusty - with some vicious gusts to probably 30kts. The record shows the wind from the SE at Bunbury at 3:00PM was at 13kts, and gusting to 20kts. I wouldn't be surprised if a vicious gust was behind this upset. 2 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
440032 Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 The BUN runway is 07, almost a direct crosswind all day 15-20 knots. The factory crosswind capability is quoted as 'remarkable'. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFguy Posted March 2 Author Share Posted March 2 (edited) remarkable only for experienced on type, no doubt . There has to be more to this. No sane pilot goes off into full on type crosswinds with little time on type. .... Edited March 2 by RFguy 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poteroo Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 There have been several wind related upsets on 07 at Bunbury over the years. DPW,(formerly CALM), had a few in their Cubs. One CPL did his C182 an injury that I remember. There's a lot of mechanical turbulence over the trees on the S side and this requires some skilful handling. Hope he makes it, and I hope his accident account serves a solid lesson to all pilots. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFguy Posted March 2 Author Share Posted March 2 (edited) FWIW https://www.airservicesaustralia.com/aip/current/dap/BUNAD01-175_30NOV2023.pdf accident report at 1445 local Edited March 2 by RFguy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 Unless there's dust you won't see a twister/ dust devil and expect more as the weather gets more varied and extreme. The most frightening things Ive encountered in a life time of flying are wind related.. Nev 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walrus Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 (edited) Looks like a Zenith 750 Cruzer from the tail. Crosswind demonstrated somewhere around 15 kts but you need your wits about you. Edited March 3 by walrus 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 (edited) Actual winds recorded at 1/2 hour intervals won't do a great job at picking twisters. They are quite localised. You'll often notice them when driving in flat warm areas . and more likely at the warmest time of the day, with light to moderate winds. Nev Edited March 3 by facthunter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walrus Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 Correction, not a Zenith 750. Maybe a Savannah? I hope the pilot recovers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty_d Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 I think it's a Zenith rather than a Sav, because it's got the "inverted airfoil" HS, and the all-flying rudder. Actually looking at the shape of the windows aft of the door, and the fact that it's VH registered, I reckon it might be a CH-801 (4 seat model). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty_d Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 Something's wrong there. It's definitely not a Cruzer because the tail surfaces are all wrong for that. Plus the VH register shows it as being 700kg MTOW where the Cruzer is 599kg. CH-801 - note the tail surfaces and windows aft of the door 750 Cruzer - standard fin and rudder, symetrical HS, curved rear window Crashed a/c -same flying rudder, inverted airfoil HS and double rectangular windows as the 801 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walrus Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 The window arrangement does not look like a Zenith 750 Cruzer or STOL, neither does the door, which on a 750 is a one piece bubble. The Cruzer doesn't have an inverted stabiliser and the 750 STOL doesn't have those tips on the stabiliser. Neither of them comes standard with hub caps. Both the Cruzer and 750 STOL are good for 650 kg MTOW. Perhaps it is a 701, 801, Savannah or some sort or some modified combination. It appears that the aircraft was only registered a month ago, so that suggests the pilot didn't have much time on type. The behavior of some light aircraft in a strong crosswind can be challenging. You need to remember the rules for control positions when taxiing and be very, very careful to ensure that the upwind wing never gets too high an angle of attack. If it is a ZEenith type, the full span flaperons get quite heavy when drooped as flaps and while they are very effective you have to be ready to apply some muscle make them work and to keep that into wind wing down and under control. In any case I hope the pilot pulls through. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyBoy1960 Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 Didnt make it https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/man-dies-after-light-plane-crash-at-bunbury-airport-wa/news-story/820d39e7f85f56537045a6d635f2758e 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgmwa Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 Very sad outcome. Local paper said it was a Zenith CH801. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingVizsla Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 3 hours ago, FlyBoy1960 said: Didnt make it Sad to hear that. RIP 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotorwork Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 Very sad to hear he has passed. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-05/bunbury-airport-plane-crash-pilot-dies-in-hospital/103545882 ABC update says CH801 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetrack Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 And once again, the Police refer to the aircraft as, "homemade"!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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