Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Ultralights can be Ultra-deadly: Pilot killed after ultralight plane crash at a Byron airfield in Australia







  • Ray Jackson is the male pilot who tragically lost his life in a Northern NSW plane crash.
    Ray Jackson is the male pilot who tragically lost his life in a Northern NSW plane crash.
     
    UPDATE: A WELL-KNOWN Gold Coast teacher has been confirmed by close friends to have died after crashing an ultralight aircraft near Byron Bay this morning. 

    Friends of Ray Jackson said he tragically crashed his plane 300m from the Pacific Motorway west of Byron Bay about 8am.

    The 59-year-old was transported by helicopter to Gold Coast University Hospital in a serious condition where he later died from his injuries.

    Friends and colleagues from the Coomera school say they are reeling from the news and that “he was a top bloke”.

    Cycling Olympic gold medallist Sara Carrigan offered her condolences to the family of the teacher she said introduced her to cycling.

    Ms Carrigan said Mr Jackson, who coached her for many years, “had a heart of gold”.

    Police from Tweed Byron Local Area Command will be working with investigators from Recreational Aviation Australia, and the NSW Police Force’s Aviation Support Branch to determine the cause of the crash.

    It is the second serious incident at the airport in three months after two skydivers died when they crashed to the ground after their parachutes became tangled midair. 


    The scene of an ultralight plane crash near Byron Bay. Photo: David Clark
    The scene of an ultralight plane crash near Byron Bay. Photo: David Clark
    EARLIER: THE Gold Coast pilot of a ultralight aircraft which crashed west of Byron Bay this morning has died.


    It was at first believed he had received relatively minor injuries.
    About 8am, witnesses say they saw an ultralight drop out of sight near Tyagarah airport, about 10km north of Byron Bay.


    The crash site was found about 300m west of the Pacific Highway.
    The male pilot, reportedly in his 50s, was treated for suspected fractures and flown to Gold Coast University Hospital where he later died. 


    The scene of the crash site. Photo: David Clarke
    The scene of the crash site. Photo: David Clarke
     
    While the man is yet to be formally identified, he’s believed to have been aged in his 50s from the Gold Coast.

    Police from Tweed Byron Local Area Command will be working with investigators from Recreational Aviation Australia, and the NSW Police Force’s Aviation Support Branch to determine the cause of the crash.

    It is the second serious incident at the airport in three months after two skydivers died when they crashed to the ground after their parachutes became tangled midair.


    Date:23-JUN-2015
    Time:08:00
    Type:Ultralight
    Owner/operator:
    Registration:
    C/n / msn:
    Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
    Other fatalities:0
    Airplane damage: Unknown
    Location:Near Tyagarah Airport (YTYH), Tyagarah, NSW -   Australia
    Phase: Take off
    Nature:Unknown
    Departure airport:Tyagarah (YTYH)
    Destination airport:
    Narrative:
    The aircraft impacted terrain near the Tyagarah Airport (YTYH), in Tyagarah, New South Wales. The ultralight sustained unreported damage and the sole pilot onboard received serious injuries, of which he later succumbed to.
    Sources
    http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=177208 http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/gold-coast/a-male-pilot-survives-plane-crash-at-a-byron-airfield/story-fnj94idh-1227410515451
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-23/ultralight-plane-crash-tyagarah-nsw-north-coast/6566590
    http://www.northernstar.com.au/news/light-aircraft-crash-tyagarah/2682723/

    http://jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=5958685&nseq=4