NZFF

Southland Times first reported it as a Cessna which would have meant it was their 185 which would be a sad loss as its a beauty but today they released a more detailed and hopefully correct article. Here it is:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/new...lamed-for-crash

Good that everyone came out uninjured. It will be interesting to see if the plane gets fixed as its been dunked in salt water which would damn near ruin everything.

Also the one big thing , the instant something was wrong EM services were involved , "Spider Tracks, was used to track aircraft. When the plane hit the water the pilot hit the SOS button "

Ian Warren wrote:

QUOTE (Ian Warren @ Aug 10 2011,8:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Also the one big thing , the instant something was wrong EM services were involved , "Spider Tracks, was used to track aircraft. When the plane hit the water the pilot hit the SOS button "

Spider tracks certainly worth its weight in gold. Although it wasn't a life/death thing in this incident it would have helped out the chopper who went down there immensely in being able to dispatch ten minutes earlier and go to the exact location. With spider tracks pinging every couple minutes even if the pilot didn't press the SOS button the location of the aircraft would have still been known. Radar coverage is sketchy for most of the south island I think it would be unwise to fly without it or a similar service. Everyone is OK which is the main thing, planes are replaceable. Depending on which cherokee it is it might be in for its second chopper flight back from the island. A long time ago one had to be choppered back but I cannot recall why.

Wonder if it was this one I photographed in 2007.

Southland times had a picture today, yes it was DIV going for a ride underneath a squirrel.