Forced landing for light plane

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 42, 7 April 1987, Page 1

Forced landing for light plane

Four Waimarino people were extremely lucky to escape serious injury when the Piper Tripacer plane they were travelling in plummeted to the ground and ploughed

through a fence shortly after takeoff on Saturday. The four people were just minutes in the air after taking off from Ward's Airstrip on Valley Road, just east of Raetihi when the accident

happened. They were on their way to the Ohakea Air Pageant. The plane apparently lost power soon after leaving the ground and had to make a forced landing in a paddock

about two kilometres from the airstrip. A fence slowed the plane's travel along the ground but caused extensive damage to the windscreen. Fragments of the windscreen were strewn around the plane after a fence post broke off and smashed through it. The rear of the plane's fuselage was crumpled on impact and one of its three wheels was located in another paddock. A small amount of petrol leaked from a fuel line in the wing but created no serious problem and was later drained off by the plane's owner Mr Phillip Gotlieb, of Ohakune. Ohakune police Constable Brian Wilson said the four people — pilot Ian Heappey, Graeme Watt and Ken and Frances St. John were very fortunate to escape with just minor injuries. The aircraft will be looked at by the inspector of air accidents later this week.