Competition could have led to glider crash - CAA

A glider pilot killed in Waikato crash two years ago may have been trying too hard to gain competition points as he attempted a turn too low, an investigation into the accident has found.

Canadian scientist Trevor Alan Atkins, 51, who lived in Cambridge, was killed when he crashed 2km from the Waharoa Airfield, about 50km east of Hamilton, while competing in the national gliding championships in February, 2008.

He lost control while attempting a low level steep downwind turn and he was killed in the crash which crash destroyed the glider.

Civil Aviation Authority safety investigator Alan Moselen, in a report released today, said Dr Atkins' decision to continue flying towards the aerodrome, rather than landing early, could have been because he believed a thermal was nearby or because of the pressure of competition to keep going.

"What was on offer was the opportunity to acquire competition points, and this alone was possibly the primary driver that influenced the pilot's decision making process."

Dr Atkins, who had more than 1200 hours flying experience, was competing with another pilot for the Trans-Tasman Trophy.

He also may have been tired after flying for 18 hours during the competition.

But Mr Moselen found the decision to carry out a series of low level turns and the eventual loss of control was "likely to have been influenced by competition and human error rather than any overriding degree of human under-performance caused by fatigue and or dehydration".

He recommended a number of safety actions to make pilots aware of the dangers of losing control at low speeds, and the influence competition flying can have on decisions and risk taking.

- NZPA