A light plane hit a fence in a paddock in Kooweerup when it made an emergency landing on Monday. 48760 Picture: Kim Cartmell
By Bridget Brady
A STUDENT pilot and his instructor escaped what could have been a disaster when forced to make an emergency landing near Tooradin on Monday.
Police said the men’s light plane appeared to lose power when the pilot under instruction landed in a paddock on Prestons Road in Kooweerup about 12.30pm after taking off from the Tooradin Airfield.
Both men escaped injury, but the owner of the property, George Hondros, said they could have been killed as the plane landed about five metres away from a two-metre deep natural creek.
“They missed it so they were quite lucky,” he said. “It’s quite dangerous for them to land here, but they’ve got no option.”
Mr Hondros did not realise the plane had landed on his 16ha (40 acres) property until he saw emergency services crew on his land.
It was not the first time a plane had crashed on his property, Mr Hondros said.
Another plane and three parachutists used his property for unplanned landings in the past three years, Mr Hondros said.
“Maybe they think I make good coffee or something,” he said with a laugh.
On a more serious note, Mr Hondros said it was a worry that pilots had to use his land as an emergency option, and urged the Tooradin Airport to “do something about it”.
“Ensure that the planes are well-maintained and the engines don’t fail mid-sky,” he said.
Police said the cause of the crash would be investigated.
Another light aircraft crashed in Carrum Downs on Monday afternoon. The pilot was not hurt.
