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THE Port Macquarie contingent of Australian International Aviation College trainee pilots and instructors were shocked by the miraculous survival of two colleagues after their light plane crashed near the airport.
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The 25-year-old trainee pilot and his 25-year-old instructor sustained serious to critical injuries in the incident on September 8 just south of the airport runway.
The plane crashed into dense swamp land at about 8.30pm and a multi-agency emergency operation was activated on receiving a mayday distress call from the aircraft.
The student and trainer were night flying with the Australian International Aviation College (AIAC) in Port Macquarie which trains future pilots, including hundreds of Chinese cadets, in its Diamond fleet of aircraft.
Head of operations for AIAC, Kevin McMurtrie, was shocked by the news of the crash and is now working with investigators from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Mr McMurtrie told the Port News he believed the plane experienced power loss after departure.
We thank all the people who have contacted us offering their concern, support and best wishes for our flight instructor and student.
- Kevin McMurtrie, AIAC head of operations
“At this point in time it is unknown what caused the power loss,” Mr McMurtrie said.
“Our company is cooperating with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau in investigating the accident.
“We thank all the people who have contacted us offering their concern, support and best wishes for our flight instructor and student.”
AIAC is a member of the Hainan Airlines of China group of companies.
Since 2013,about 150 pilot cadets a year from China were expected to train under the guidance of the Port Macquarie-based aviation college in a step towards becoming pilots with Hainan Airlines. Each student spends up to 16 months training in the Hastings.
Hawker Pacific, an Asia Pacific aircraft sales, services and product support company, sold the Diamond aircraft to AIAC.
A memorandum of understanding was signed by Kempsey Shire Council paving the way for the facility to be built.
Stage one of the facility, due to be completed during 2017, is valued at $3.1 million and will see the arrival of new aircraft valued at $7 million and a total student body of 150.
Stage two of the development, valued at $14.9 million and with aircraft valued at $8 million, is expected to be completed during 2018-19 and will see student numbers increase to 200 with an additional 28 professional staff appointed.
The Save Kempsey Airport Action Group (SKAAG) has been fighting Kempsey Shire Council over the development application and says the Port Macquarie light plane crash confirms their concerns over flight path risks near residential homes.
SKAAG chairperson Adam Ulrick said the development application by AIAC proposes almost 28,000 flights per annum at Kempsey Airport.
While our group understands the need to wait for the outcome of the investigation by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau to understand the cause of this accident, we have argued since day one that the enormous increase in risk to homes and residents within the highly populated areas around Kempsey.
- SKAAG Chairperson Adam Ulrick
“On behalf of our group, I sincerely send our best wishes to both pilots involved in the accident, their families and colleagues,” Mr Ulrick said.
“We hope that they have a full and speedy recovery from their injuries. No one wants to see this kind of thing happen.
“While our group understands the need to wait for the outcome of the investigation by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau to understand the cause of this accident, we have argued since day one that the enormous increase in risk to homes and residents within the highly populated areas around Kempsey, Aldavilla, Euroka, Dondingalong, Yarravel and Greenhill, is unacceptable and Kempsey Shire Council should have rejected the DA at the outset.
“This crash of a Diamond DA40 aircraft, the same model currently in use at Kempsey, highlights the risks to our community.”
The trainee pilot remains in a critical condition in John Hunter Hospital with head, chest, pelvic and limb injuries.
The flying instructor was transported to Liverpool Hospital in a serious but stable condition with fractures to her upper arm, pelvis and shoulder and several lacerations.
A crime scene has been established at the scene of the crash and investigations were launched on Saturday, September 9.