By PAUL MILLAR
INVESTIGATORS will attempt to determine whether pilot or mechanical error led to the death of an elderly aviator, whose light plane plummeted to the ground shortly after take-off at Lethbridge, killing the Altona man.
The partner of the veteran pilot watched in horror as the ultra-light hit the ground around noon on Wednesday.
The home-built plane appeared to suffer little damage, but the 85-year-old pilot from Altona was slumped forward in the cockpit and attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.
Michael Linke, the chief executive of Recreational Aviation Australia, said investigators would work with police to prepare a report for the coroner.
The investigating team will check the mechanical history of the plane, log books and take into account “pilot-decision making” on the day.
Mr Linke said it was unlikely that weather had any influence on the performance of the plane as it had been a fine day.
Gary Baum, the owner-operator of the Lethbridge Airpark, said the aviator appeared to have taxied to the end of the runway and waited for another plane to land.
Mr Baum had been in a shed at the time and heard the ultra-light take-off and climb to about 65 metres.
“Then I heard a change in the engine revs as they dropped off and put my head out of the shed, I caught an actual glimpse of the plane and then heard a thump,” he told the Independent.
The pilot’s partner, he said, was at in the area and would have seen the accident.
“She would have been 100 metres away. She would have seen the whole thing as it never left the airfield.”
Mr Baum raced to the smash to give aid with the pilot’s partner following.
“He was slumped over the seat. We rang triple 000, there was a retired doctor who came over to help us, but we could not revive him and he said that ‘nothing could be done’.”
Mr Baum said the aviator had passed all his medical checks and three months ago had passed his proficiency tests.
