‘Full inquiry’ for Warbirds plane crash
A ‘‘full inquiry’’ will be launched into why a cherry picker was on the runway when a Yak 3 vintage plane crashed during the opening of the Warbirds over Wanaka International Airshow.
The plane’s pilot, Arthur Dovey, was ‘‘shaken’’ but not injured and walked away from the accident, but the aircraft’s right wing was seriously damaged.
The accident delayed the air show programme on Saturday by about 35 minutes while emergency services dealt with debris.
Dovey got out and waved to the crowd before talking with emergency services personnel. Airshow general manager Ed Taylor said the cherry picker was on the run- way as part of ‘‘an event that was happening shortly afterwards’’, but it was still to be determined whether or not it should have been cleared off the runway for Dovey’s landing.
‘‘We’ve launched a full inquiry and will try to find out exactly why it was there and the series of events. We’ve still got to establish all that – there are a number of people involved.’’
The Civil Aviation Authority was aware of the accident and officials had been on site, Taylor said.
‘‘The protocol is they have to be advised and have to give us clearance to remove the aircraft once it’s established that there’s no injury.’’
Police, fire and ambulance crews were also stationed at the airfield, as well as the event’s own ground recovery crew.
‘‘Our whole emergency plan rolled into action ... CAA were happy for us to remove the wreckage straight away, which we did,’’ Taylor said.
Dovey and fellow pilot Graeme Frew were flying a pair of Yak 3 aircraft following the opening sequence of the airshow, an NK90 helicopter tribute to show founder Sir Tim Wallis.
Acting Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of the police southern command centre, said the accident happened about 10.10am.
Dovey was the only person in the plane, and no spectators were injured.
‘‘I’ve spoken to Arthur [Dovey] a couple of times. He’s obviously shaken, upset and just sad to see his aircraft in that state, as you would expect,’’ Taylor said.
‘‘But he’s going to be alright, he’s not injured at all, he’s just shaken up.’’
The airshow had started again by 10.55am.
Taylor said between 25,000 and 30,000 people attended the show on Saturday and the same number, if not more, were expected yesterday.
‘‘We had a little bit of rain early this morning and it’s cleared away, as it does in Wanaka, and it’s been a very hot afternoon.
‘‘The displays have been fantastic ... the F16s out of the United States were a show highlight but also the flying of the Buchon from the UK, the Spitfire and all the other aircraft. The flying’s been absolutely fantastic.’’