Plane hits Ferris wheel north of Sydney, trapping four

[Omaha Steve]

Source: BBC

No-one was seriously injured in the incident, officials say

An ultra-light plane has crashed into a Ferris wheel in a village north of Sydney, trapping four people, Australian officials say.

The Cheetah S200 plane with two men aboard did not topple the wheel after hitting it during a festival in the village of Old Bar.

The men and two children at the top of the wheel were trapped for some time before being rescued by a crane.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-15135716

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[Ian David]

1. "Well, there's something you don't see every day." n/t

[htuttle]

2. It looks like a bug stuck in a spider web...

The sky is very large and mostly empty. I would have thought that there was sufficient room for BOTH ferris wheels and ultralight airplanes. Guess I was wrong.

[Ready4Change]

3. As a pilot

1st: I'm glad no one was seriously hurt.

Next: I wonder how this came about.

I can imagine this being caused by a pilot larking about, flying low over a crowd and 'giving people a thrill.' But also not paying attention to, oh, tall things you might run into.

OTOH, this looks like a Ferris Wheel that might be mobile, part of one of those traveling carnivals. Could be they set it up in the path of a small airport, or someones private flying patch. I tend towards this idea largely because of the minimal damage caused. A plane like that can cruise about 100mph, which I think would have done more damage and not be caught but the structure. But such a plane also takes off and lands at around 35mph. Lower speeds like that could explain the capture and lesser damage.

Curious.

[ronnie624]

4. "The aircraft reportedly failed to gain enough altitude

after taking off from a nearby airport."

[saras]

8. It wasn't lack of altitude that prevented them from steering around it - it isn't that big.

Only a couple of degrees difference in bearing and they could have gone around it to either side. I suspect that they 'failed' to choose to gain altitude, or steer around it, and planned to buzz right above it.

[Ready4Change]

11. Possibly didn't see it coming.

Aircraft vary, but on some, if the engine doesn't produce enough power, and/or the pilot tries to force it to climb faster than power allows, the nose of the aircraft can raise high enough to block the pilots forward vision.

I recall during my training, when we did maximum angle climb outs, we'd drop the nose once in a while, to take a look out there and make sure there wasn't something there we would prefer to miss. (Although we were thinking of in bound aircraft then.)

I mean sure, the pilot could have been horsing around. Wouldn't be the first time one got in trouble showing off. But, there's other ways this could be explained. As always, need more info.

[Major Nikon]

14. Not necessarily

With two people in an ultralight, it was almost certainly either very near or above it's maximum weight limits. In order to fly an aircraft under those circumstances, you have to pitch the nose up in order to climb or even to maintain altitude. The aircraft in question has a front mounted engine so the cowl will restrict forward visibility.

These types of accidents are actually quite common. You take off from an airport, you can't climb once you get out of ground effect and a turn of more than a handful of degrees will induce a stall. The aircraft generally flies along a straight line until it either lands or hits a tall object in it's path.

[NV Whino]

5. The newest thing in thrill rides.

[sakabatou]

6. "Well, there's your problem."

[tawadi]

7. Just when you think you've seen everything

:wow:

[DesertFlower]

9. the pilot said he didn't see the ferris wheel. WTF?

[valerief]

10. "I can't see! "I can't see!" "Whatsa matter?" "I got my eyes closed." -- Three Stooges bit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScGPRsHSkaE

I love the cat in the bed.

[daleo]

12. Is it a crash if you never hit the ground?

A moment of zen.

[Ready4Change]

13. Old aviation saying:

"Any landing you can walk away from is a good one." Since they are reporting no major injuries I'm guessing this one counts. :D

[Major Nikon]

15. My standard is a bit different

I always figured that any landing where you can reuse the airport is a good one and any landing where you can reuse the airplane is a great one.

Using that standard and figuring the Ferris wheel was the airport in this case, I'd have to say he failed on both counts.