Ultralight

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    Crash in Brazil Totals Ultralight


    On January 2, 2013, a Condor MB ultralight was over rural Luziânia Brazil when the engine shut down.

    The ultralight crashed in a forest and was damaged beyond repair.

    Pilot Alberto Rossi Junior, and his son Lucas Ferreira Rossi, survived, and were taken to a Brasilia hospital.

    Military police and the Fire Department respnded to the scene. The paperwork of the pilot and the plane is reported to be up to date.

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    Granite Quarry Experimental Ultralight Crash

    What: Experimental Ultralight aircraft en route from Rowan County Airport to High Rock Lake,
    Where: a field close to Shaw’s Mobile Home Park
    When: Sept 30, 2012, 6 p.m.
    Who: pilot
    Why: The ultralight ppeared to stall out shortly before impact. Cecil Dwayne Brown, of West Second Street, in Faith, died in the crash. His remains were recovered within two hours of the accident.

    The plane apparently impacted power lines, causing an immediate outage.

    Video Below

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    One Survivor in Ultralight Crash in Germany


    What: SkyWalker II ultralight training aircraft
    Where: Idar-Oberstein, Germany
    When: August 3, 2012
    Who: 2 aboard, 1 fatality
    Why: An 18 year old pilot crashed in an ultralight training aircraft in Idar-Oberstein. The pilot died on impact.

    His 23 year old passenger was injured seriously, and transported via medical helicopter to University Hospital Homburg.

    An investigation is underway. NO cause for the crash has yet been determined.

    Video Below

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    Ultralight Crash in Croatia Kills 2

    What: Aviasud Mistral
    Where: near Rogotin in the Neretva river valley, Croatia
    When: May 16, 2012 8.45 pm
    Who: 2 aboard, 2 fatalities
    Why: The ultralight was flying low just above the wires and planting bait for rabid foxes when it crashed in a tangerine field near the mouth of the Neretva. 57 year old Stjepan (Stephen) Vlahovica-Pace and 24 year old Matea Bebic aboard were killed in the crash. Vlahovica owned the plane. Matea was an aeronautical engineer.

    The ambulance driver who was first on the scene was Vlahovica’s brother Nado.

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    Two Lost in Ultralight in Brazilian Rice Field


    What: Starflight Fox V6 Super #PU-ANG
    Where: Araranguá, southern Santa Catarina Brazil
    When: April 8 2012
    Who: 2 fatalities
    Why: The ultralight was in Araranguá between the towns of Marazion and in Santa Catarina when it crashed in a rice paddy that backs up to highway BR-101. Both the pilot and passenger, Pereira de Souza, 45, and Antonio Carlos Bernardino, 30, died at the scene. Bernardino owned the ultralight and the two regularly flew together. Both victims were residents of Araranguá and in an Araranguá flying club. They were taken to Instituto Médico Legal (Forensic Institute).

    Witnesses say the plane just fell from the sky into the rice field. The incident occurred at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday.

    The accident is under investigations; preliminary findings are due within thirty days.

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    Italian Ultralight Falls from Sky Killing Experienced Pilot and eighteen year old Photographer

    What: Privately owned Alpi Aviation Pioneer 300
    Where: San Donà di Piave (Venezia
    When: Feb 5, 2012
    Who: 2 aboard, 2 fatalities
    Why: After taking off from Caposile Airfield, the plane lost altitude and fell vertically. and crashed in a field near San Donà di Piave. Franco Borin, 45 and Simone Conte, 18 died on impact. Conte was flying in order to take photographs.

    The judge has ordered autopsies on the victims.

    Investigators question the structural integrity of the aircraft.

    Police and firefighters of San Donà di Piave responded to the scene.

    The Alpi Aviation Pioneer 300 is classified as an ultralight.

    Prosecutor Rita Uglolini who is coordinating the investigation has acquired a video which may have documented the fall.

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    Gyro Crash in Australia Kills Unidentified Pilot, Student


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Andrei Bezmylov

    What: GT Gyroplanes Kruza
    Where: off Willis Road, near Mangalore Airport
    When: Jan 14, 2012, 12:30
    Who: pilot and student aboard, 2 fatalities
    Why: A local pilot reported that the ultralight crashed, looking as if it came straight down and smashed up. The wreckage was found in a paddock in a field. No one witnessed the crash, but at 10:00 someone witnessed the chopper being buffeted by “gale force” winds.

    The flight was discovered after it failed to return to the airport to pick up the next student.

    The wreckage is in several pieces. The gyrocopter broke up on impact. It had normally been used for training exercises. The Mangalore airport is in Australia.

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    UltraLight Takes a Spin on the Ferris Wheel

    What: Superlight Cheetah S200 glider
    Where: Canberra New South Wales
    When: October 1
    Who: 2 aboard.
    Why: During the annual three-day festival in Old Bar, a glider crashed into a ferris wheel. (What are the odds of that?) A nine year old and a thirteen year old were trapped, as well as the pilot (Paul Cox) and passenger of the downed plane. The pilot was disoriented in low visibility. The children were stuck for an hour; the pilot and passenger for three hours. No one had serious injuries.

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    Possible Suicide Crash in ultralight in Baru Rumania

    What: Mircea Chira’s Flight Design CTSW
    Where: Baru Romania
    When: June 13 2011
    Who: pilot
    Why: The ultralight took off from Deva airport, and crashed 60 kilometers away in rough topography between Pui and Baru Mare. The plane was loaned by the owner, Mircea Chira, to a businessman with more than 200 flight hours.

    The wreckage was found in a a rocky and forested area in Hunedoara county.

    The 47-year-old German pilot who lived in the Romanian town of Orastie apparently sent a farewell letter which some have interpreted as a suicide note.

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    Low-flying Ultralight Snaps Strut Turning Near Cliff, Plunges into Hawaii Waters


    Glider view capture news report

    What: Kauai Aero Sport P&M Pegasus Quick 912S en route from Port Allen Airport, Hawaii
    Where: North Shore of Kauai, 100 yards offshore near Honopu beach
    When: May 17, 2011 10:53 a.m
    Who: 2 aboard
    Why: The ultralight belonging to Kauai Aero Sport landed in the water 100 yards off shore.

    Witnesses saw the ultralight in trouble and tried to come to the aid of the two men in the crash. (see video below)

    Captain Bob Butler describes hearing a (possible) aluminum strut break, and the aircraft hit the water at a 70 degree angle. They pulled the craft to the surface but not soon enough to save those aboard.

    The bodies of both men were recovered as well as the wreckage. The pilot/owner of Kauai Aero Sport is Steve Sprague.

    The NTSB is investigating.

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    Final Flight: Jim’s Big Sky Kauai At Rest


    Pictured: video capture
    What: Airborne Edge XT-912-L
    Where: Hanapepe, Kauai, Hawai
    When: Feb 15 2011, 11:41 am
    Who: 2 aboard, 2 fatalities
    Why: A kayaker witnessed a Big Sky Kauai ultralight 200 yards off Glass Beach when it fell to the ocean and sank with the pilot James Gaither and passenger Kim Buergel, 49, of Spokane, Washington.

    The ultralight is based out of Port Allen Airport in Hanapepe. Rescue services with a boat, jet skis and the county’s new helicopter, Air-1 searched for five hours for survivors in overcast weather and murky water, and found only debris.

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    Ultralight Crashes in Australia Flood Zone

    What: ultralight
    Where: Toobeah near Goondiwindi, Australia
    When: Jan 18 2010, 2.45pm
    Who: pilot
    Why: Near the border of Queensland and New South Wales, the helicopter struck powerlines and crashed. The area is affected by flooding and difficult to access by emergency services but Queensland Fire and Rescue crews (Four fire units, comprising 16 firefighters) are en route to the location at t Donovans Road, south of the Barwon Highway. The 65 year old pilot has been reported as a fatality.

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    UK Light Crash Kills pilot

    What: Light crash
    Where: in a field next to the River Aire between Castleford and Methley.
    When: June 19, 2010 4 p.m.
    Who: 31 year old pilot
    Why: In west yorkshire, the plane crashed near the river Aire, killing the pilot.

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    Ultralight Crash

    What: ultralight
    Where: east of Decatur Texas
    When: June 20, 2010
    Who: pilot
    Why: The ultralight crashed at 9:30 a.m.. The pilot was was flown by helicopter to Fort Worth’s John Peter Smith Hospital

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    Ultralight Fatality in Italy

    What: Ultralight en route to Ozzano of the Emilia
    Where: Rogno Italy
    When: June 6 2010
    Who: Pilot and passenger
    Why: The ultralight developed problems on takeoff, and crashed near an Artogne airstrip. Passenger Ivan Belotti, resident of Cevo Brescia died in the crash. The pilot, Alan Planeti of Esine Brescia has been hospitalized in serious condition.

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    Ultralight Lost in Australia; 2 killed

    What: Pipistrel Spider en route from Yarrawonga Airport
    Where: Burramine nr Yarrawonga, Vic, Australia
    When: Dec 6, 2009
    Who: Two brothers
    What: Ted and Alan Berryman were to fly Ted’s ultralight on a local scenic circuit, but did not return to the airport at 9 as was their plan. A search found their badly damaged ultralight Pipistrel Spider (“trike type”, tandem 2 seater”) near Bruces Road, Burramine on the morning of the 7th. Both occupants have been confirmed dead.

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    Ultralight Crash in Zion


    Pictured: an Aerotrike Rainbow Aircraft Cobra on display at the Louiseville fly-in.
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Jean-Pierre Bonin

    What: AEROTRIKE NAKD COBRA ultralight registered to LEONARD KRICK
    Where: Zion National Park, North Creek, Utah
    When: 6:15 p.m Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009
    Who: pilot and passenger
    Why: Primary incident data indicates “unknown circumstances.”

    The “type” is listed as “Weight-shift-control” with a 2 cycle engine. It looks extremely open to the air with minimal protection.

    The father broke his ankle and arm in the crash. The son sustained minor injuries. Although medics reached the victims that night, the remote location hampered rescue efforts. They were evacuated Sunday by a Grand Canyon National Park helicopter. The father was ported to Dixie Regional Medical Center; the 20 year old son refused medical treatment.

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    2 Planes Collide in Beaugeay France, 4 Fatalities

    What: Aeroclub les Ailes Cognacaises Tissot-Charbonnier TC-160 Oceanair en route from Cognac
    Where: Beaugeay France
    When: 17-OCT-2009 10:50
    Who: 3 occupants, 3 fatalities

    What: Aeroclub du Pays Rochefortais Robin DR 400/120A Petit Prince
    Where: Beaugeay France
    When: 17-OCT-2009 10:50
    Who: 1 pilot, 1 fatality
    Why For unknown reasons, the planes collided.

    The TC160 aircraft took off around 10:00 from Cognac in Vienne. The pilot was winemaker Jean-Paul Rodet, a pilot with 40 hours of internship, under an instructor’s supervision Guy Ploucharta, a military pilot with 15 thousand air hours. The third person on board was a fellow pilot from Ariege.

    The ultralight plane was piloted by a 20-year-old from the Aero Club of Saint-Agnant near Rochefort, performing her first stand-alone flight under the supervision of the flight control tower at the home airport Aero Club – 5 km from Beaugey.

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    Ultralight Crashes, Killing Two

    What: microlight
    Where: Silver-on-Sauldre, Soyers Field
    When: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2009
    Who: pilot and passenger
    Why: The ultra-light crashed and burned in the field, killing the pilot and passenger. There were no eye-witnesses, but people described hearing the engine “cough” just prior to crashing. The pilot and passenger have not been identified, but they are said to be Belgian.

    The type of ultralight has not been released.

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    Byhalia Crash


    Pictured: A homebuilt Aussie Ultralight. The one involved in this crash is no doubt a completely different type.
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Phil Vabre

    What: 250 lb single-engine true Ultralight aircraft
    Where: Desoto County soybean field near the intersection of Stateline and Center Hill Roads.
    When: 10/2/09
    Who: 52 year-old Louis Bassie of Byhalia Mississippi
    Why: As he was coming in for a landing, Bassie’s plane took a nose-dive, spiraled out-of-control and crashed. Bassie had a pilot’s license, worked as a crop-duster, and had served in the military, but it does not take a license to fly a home built kit plane.

    Federal authorities will not be investigating the crash of an unlicensed plane.

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    Ultra Light Crash in Suwannee

    What: Experimental Light Sport (ultra light) flying from Flying Little River Airport in McAlpin.
    Where: Suwannee County off Highway 90 and 89th Road just past Live Oak
    When: Mar 10, 2009
    Who: An early report said that pilot Walter Richard of Louisiana has been flown to Shand’s Hospital in Gainesville. The name now released is Jimmy Burkholder, 68, of McAlpin, who is in the burn unit at Shands UF. A woman passenger was dead on the scene; her name has been released: Linda Sturtevant, 58, of Rhode Island
    Why: The pilot dropped below power lines as the plane lost altitude, and struck the tree line.

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    Ultralight Lands on public Street

    What: ultra-light plane from the Keswick Dam area half a mile away from Benton Airpark,
    Where: emergency landing on Eureka Way. Redding
    When: Sunday Afternoon 1-18
    Who: pilot Ron Lim and passenger
    Why: Lim was on his third flight of the day when his engine died. He managed to avoid power lines and made a perfect landing–on the right shoulder of a public street.

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    Ventura ultralight Crash


    Where: waters off the coast of Emma Wood State Beach west if Ventura
    When: Saturday reported at 12:30 pm
    Who: Pilot Rick Martinez, 43, of Camarillo and his passenger, Larry Graziano, 38, of Costa Rica
    Why: On a turn, the motorized ultralight caught the water and flipped into the water. Pilot and passenger were rescued by jet-skiiers.

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    TV Host Crashes on Flinders Island, Tasmania, Australia.


    hang glider pictured
    What: Australian-made homebuilt aircraft piloted by John Duigan en route from a private strip on Flinders Island
    Where: Flinders Island, Tasmania, Australia.
    When: Jan 7 2009
    Who: Nick and his father John were airlifted to Launceston General Hospital. Duigan suffered a head injury, broken jaw requiring surgery, broken ribs and fractured wrists. John had surgery for an abdominal injury and broken leg.

    Why: The ultralight struggled to gain altitude after take off and crashed into a hill and flipping

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    Florida Ultralight Lands Safely


    unspecified light craft pictured

    What: ultralight
    Where: 1500 block of Franklin Avenue, Ellenton,, Manatee County Fla
    When: 4:55 p.m.
    Who: pilot Kurt Pfister, 46, and passenger as Katie Kuss were not injured
    Why: The ultralight’s engine quit, and the plane made an emergency landing in the field. I the course of landing, the wheels struck power lines which took out electricity to ten homes; but the craft landed safely without injury to pilot or passenger