Gyro accident

[jj le roux]

Anybody know anything about an apparent gyro down in Somerset West? I heard a gyro went into the powerlines and it was fatal.

[jj le roux]

Just got more and the right info this time! It was a guy from Gordonsay that was involved in a accident in Namibia. That is as much info as I have right now.

[FO Gyro]

What ANOTHER shame if the cause is powerlines. How many more will die by flying into wires if that was the cause? The thrill just isn't worth it.

[WhiteEagle]

The pilot is Albert Voights from Nomtsas, south of Mariental. He is critical and was airlifted with Medrescue to Windhoek at about 16h30. He is critical, his wife was also involved in the incident and also injured. Not much more info available. Will keep you posted if hear anything. Hope for a speady recovery. Do not know what happened exactly at this stage.

[WhiteEagle]

Apparently wires again. Not sure if it was powerlines.

[jj le roux]

Thank you for the info, White Eagle. My thoughts and prayers are with them. Glenn I agree ,yet another. I'm a still a student on gyro and watch these accident happen a lot. Not great to see people getting hurt this way let alone in any kind of accident.

[WhiteEagle]

Good news, apparently the first reports that came in was wrong. They are both fine and released from hospital this morning.

[FO Gyro]

Thanks be to God for no fatalities. Can anyone confirm the details of what happened?

[Gyronaut]

Praise Be! that no-one died. Hope they recover well.
I also hope they will inform us as to what happened so we can all strive to avoid the traps that led to the accident.

... watch these accident happen a lot.

I disagree jj. While I agree that one accident is one too many, I think its a great exaggeration to say they happen a lot. I may be mistaken but as far as I know the last reported wire-strike by a Gyro happened to Felipe Morais in 2009. Hardly a lot. The Alldays accident in 2010 cannot count since it was an emergency during flight that resulted in a wire-strike. jj, I am pleased that you are aware of the dangers and I hope you share my fear of wires and of repeat accidents.

I sense an awareness, between Gyro pilots, of a deep fear of wires and we know that they hide mortal danger very well. As instructors I call upon all of us to stress this during training and to show examples to our students of how easy it can be to miss seeing the wires against background. I know I will put that fear into my students. Discourage your fellow pilots to fly low but if they do, to do a high level, then low-level recce first, from all angles, before even considering it. If you then still decide to do it, remain within the confines of the recce'd area or climb above the highest pylon height - and stay there. Remember to always cross well above a pylon and never between them.

I wish the Voights a speedy recovery.

[jj le roux]

That is fantastic! Great news indeed.

[jj le roux]

Len! The purpose of this wasn't to conduct a discussion about wire strikes but out of concern for the people involved. Secondly gyros arent the only aircraft using our airways. I came across a report stating 117 wire strikes between 1990 and 2008 with 32 fatalities. I reckon that's counts for a lot.

[Learjet]

jj le roux please could you share the source of your report as those number don't seem to correlate with the CAA gyro accident stats?
Thanks

[FO Gyro]

jj, if you are referring to wire strikes by all aircraft, and not just gyro's, you are right that there have been a fair amount of these types of accidents happening.

[nicow]

Glad they are ok Speedy recovery to them.

[jj le roux]

http://www.caa.co.za/resource%20center/ ... idents.pdf