SAFA Skysailor Magazine

34 SKY SAILOR July | August 2022 Valley. In the Conondale Valley, PIC is trying to gain height to fly over a ridge to carry on the XC flight. They did not manage to find a thermal and were losing height. They were flying above trees on the ridge and had a landing option in sight. Whilst flying PIC felt a surge in the glider indicating a thermal and lift and turned sharply to try to stay in the small core. They dropped out of the core and the deep brake travel and change in pressure on the wing caused the glider to spin. This in turn caused rapid height loss and the pilot crashed through the canopy of the trees below. The glider got caught in the top canopy of the trees, leaving the PIC sus- pended below the glider, approximately 20m above the ground. PIC assessed the situation and due to the tree being dead and brittle with the fear that branches may break, PIC exited the harness and managed to secure them- selves to a large branch close to the tree main trunk. PIC then called emergency services, and the Fire department came out and rescued the pilot from the tree safely. PIC did not suffer any injuries. The pilot went back the next day with an arborist to retrieve the glider and harness and sent it to be repaired. AIRS #1542 – Mystic PG tree landing A low airtime PG pilot encountered unex- pected sink when setting up an approach to land in the Mystic LZ (Vic) and landed in trees as a result. No injury, but some damage sus- tained to the wing. AIRS #1548 – Accident with injury, Powered PG, Teewah Noosa Airport The PIC set up to launch their wheel-base PPG down runway 19 into wind at Teewah Noosa airfield (Qld/S). On inflation the wind switched to the west. PIC then turned into wind, which meant turning across the runway, and was heading towards the scrub and small trees lining the sides of the runway. The pilot judged they had sufficient clearance available to continue the take-off. The trike become airborne but had not enough height to clear the small trees, possibly hindered by wind shadow, and the left under- carriage hit two small trees. This resulted in the pilot crashing into the ground, feet first, with the trike and powerplant landing on top of the pilot, pinning them to the ground on their left side. Damage was sustained to the trike. The centre bar of the retractable trike was bent; one propeller tip was lightly damaged, and there was a small dent in the fuel tank. The glider has two ‘C’ Lines snapped at the mal- lions, one brake line and TEA line rubbed off the outer sheath. The pilot initially only reported soreness on their left arm and hand. However, they presented to hospital after noticing more pain in their extremities. Investigations found a minimally displaced Spinous Process fracture of the T4 vertebra, tendon damage to both ankles, left wrist, left forearm, both thumbs, left knee with an effusion behind the kneecap. Pilot is expected to make a full recovery in six weeks to three months. AIRS Safety Wrap-up