Masterton plane crashes and burns

WRECKAGE: The remains of the light plane that crashed at Hood Aerodrome come under careful scrutiny. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

A Wairarapa pilot walked away unscathed from the burning wreckage of a $95,000 training plane he crash-landed during take-off at Hood Aerodrome in Masterton yesterday.

Masterton Fire Station Officer Garry Nielsen said two fire engines and an ambulance were scrambled soon after 2.30pm yesterday to the scene, where the blazing microlight aircraft was doused and the middle-aged pilot checked and cleared of injury.

"We assume he's probably stalled it or lost control somehow and crash-landed it," Mr Nielsen said.

"He was quite lucky.

"It's hit the ground pretty hard but he's bounced it off and managed to get out before the thing caught fire."

The pilot was the only occupant of the Italian Tecnam aircraft, Mr Nielsen said, and the blaze was extinguished using water carried aboard the fire engines.

The cockpit and central structure of the aircraft had been destroyed in the blaze, which Mr Nielsen said had failed to ignite the petrol tanks before firefighters arrived at the scene.

"It was no different from a car fire really. The petrol wasn't burning. It was only the plane. He's a lucky man. He may be sore but he walked away from it."

Airport manager Tony Heyward said Hood Aerodrome had been closed to air traffic while the wreckage was cleared from the runway, where the aircraft had caught fire.

Wairarapa Ruahine Aero Club president Alex McLeod said the plane had been crash-landed soon after take-off. He and the chief flying instructor had helped to clear the crash scene.

He said the pilot was a Wairarapa man and the club had bought the training aircraft for $95,000.

"He'd just taken off and he was just at about 50 feet. It was one of our two training aircraft but our main concern, of course, was the safety and well-being of the pilot."

It is understood the other aircraft was undergoing routine maintenance and the hangar at the aerodrome clubrooms was empty yesterday afternoon.