Broadcaster Rod Vaughan says a drone may have collided with the plane he was flying moments before he was forced to make a terrifying crash landing near Waihi.
Every year remarkable stories of survival catch the attention of the nation. Over the next five days the Herald takes a closer look at those who came back from the brink of disaster and defied the odds. Chelsea Boyle reports.
Legendary broadcaster Rod Vaughan fell from the sky after hiswindscreen exploded mid-flight and lived to faithfully tell the world the tale.
Vaughan, who now lives in Katikati, was flying over Waihi in March when the windscreen of his plane exploded, forcing him to make an emergency landing.
It was tradition to fly his family around when his son Richard and three grandsons were visiting from Germany.
"And I was really worried that if one or both of those had come free that they would have, in short order, wrapped themselves around the tail plane and that would have been goodnight nurse.
"I just figured we had to get down on the ground in a hurry."
It was fairly undulating terrain but in the distance he spotted three flat paddocks where the plane could make an emergency landing.
"I just made a beeline for them."
Former TV journalist Rod Vaughan. Photo / Dean Purcell
As the aircraft touched down the nose wheel gave way and the plane flipped.
"We ended up upside down dangling in our harnesses.
"All the blood was running into my eyes and I couldn't see."
Vaughan fumbled around to undo the harness and, weary of explosions, urged his son to get out of the battered aircraft.
"It seemed to take forever," Vaughan said.
"The plane was unfortunately a write-off.
"I was thanking my lucky stars I was still standing up."
Police and ambulance rushed to the scene and Vaughan was transported to hospital, where medical staff observed in disbelief that neither he nor his son had a single broken bone.
