Pilot sues over airshow crash
A pilot suing Warbirds Over Wanaka for damages to his vintage plane expects his experience will put others off being involved with the airshow.
Arthur Dovey was landing his Yak-3 during the opening sequence of the show at Easter 2018 when it clipped a cherry picker on the runway, seriously damaging the right wing.
His most recent repair quote was for more than $600,000.
He has lodged a writ with the High Court at Wellington to recover the costs from Warbirds over Wanaka Airshows Ltd, which is owned by the Warbirds Over Wanaka Community Trust.
Five individuals are named in the writ, including a New Zealand Defence Force employee, who was the controller on the day but who Dovey says should not have been involved with the display.
Trust general manager Ed Taylor said it disputed the claim and would be defending the action in court.
The organisation has until January 25 to file its defence.
The Warbirds Over Wanaka International Airshow is a biennial show, which attracts about 100,000 people over three days.
Dovey said many people were surprised he had taken the action. ‘‘I suspect some of the aircraft operators will be wondering whether it’s worth taking their aircraft to Warbirds next year.’’
Dovey – a pilot of 52 years and a former Chief Standards Captain with Air New Zealand – was ‘‘pissed off’’ the crash had happened.
He said when he and other pilots were briefed in the morning before the flight they were told the runway was clear for landing, with no obstructions. The cherry picker could not be seen as he landed because the plane’s 4m nose restricted his peripheral vision.
‘‘I didn’t know it was there and I didn’t know what I hit,’’ Dovey said. ‘‘I got out of the aircraft and thought ‘what the hell is that doing there?’’’
He did not carry personal insurance on the aircraft because of the high cost and because he was prepared to take responsibility for any crash he caused.
Dovey had never had a crash before and was the only person who flew the aircraft, which is valued at more than $1 million.
The Civil Aviation Authority is investigating the crash.