REGIONAL volunteer firefighters on-board a charter plane are lucky to have escaped serious injury following a dramatic incident at the Mount Gambier Airport.
Five volunteer firefighters and a paramedic – returning from a bushfire zone in Queensland – were on-board a private Beechcraft King Air on Saturday afternoon when its propellers struck the runway during a failed landing attempt.
According to an eyewitness at the scene, both propellers were “extensively damaged” during the first landing attempt.
But in extraordinary scenes, the chartered plane – which was carrying the emergency personnel as well as a pilot and a co-pilot – manoeuvred an emergency “go around” before landing safely.
The incident caused extensive damage to both propellers, the fuselage was left with multiple holes and bits of the plane were strewn on the runway.
It is considered extraordinary the aircraft – which was en route from Adelaide – landed safely given the damage to the plane’s structure.
The volunteer firefighters – who were on-board the aircraft and returning from Adelaide – hailed from the Kingsley CFS Group, which covers the Port MacDonnell and Allendale areas.
CFS Kingsley Group officer Grant Fensom – who declined to comment on specific details of the incident yesterday – said he was pleased the volunteers who were fighting fires on Stradbroke Island in Queensland arrived home safety.
“I am pleased they are all safe and well, along with the pilot and co-pilot,” Mr Fensom told The Border Watch yesterday.
“I’m happy no one was injured and they all walked away from the incident.”
Two members of the firefighting strike team – Wade Chant and Jason Watts who were on-board the troubled flight – yesterday spoke to The Border Watch about their mission to the bushfire zones in Queensland.
But both firefighters and CFS management yesterday declined to comment on the incident.
Limestone Coast Police officer-in-charge Superintendent Grant Moyle said it appeared the plane’s propellers struck the runway during landing.
“The plane then took off, performed a go around and then landed safely,” said Supt Moyle, who revealed police were notified 30 minutes after the incident occurred.
He said the aircraft was a private charter plane that was carrying six passengers and two crew members.
“It is extremely lucky there were no injuries – it could have ended up much worse,” Supt Moyle said.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said the safety regulator was aware of the incident.
“We are currently gathering further information to determine if a safety investigation will be conducted,” the spokesperson said.
It is understood the CFS chartered the private plane because there was no availability on Regional Express services.
The weather conditions at the time caused delays with some commercial flights.
