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The wreckage was removed and inspected by Police and ASRA personnel. It was determined that two empty jerry cans had supposedly been secured into the rear seat of the ELA gyro but the harness buckle had not been properly fastened. The slipstream loosened the harness and one jerry can, which flew out of the rear cockpit and into the prop. Two prop blades were detached as was one side tank of the coolant radiator. The severe vibration caused by the missing prop blades likely caused the pilot to close the throttle and seek a landing area in a fairly densely forested area. The gyro descended vertically through the tree canopy and struck and dislodged two large branches some 13 metres above the ground. It continued to fall uncontrolled and struck the ground with little or no forward speed and high vertical speed on the front left hand side of the pod causing severe damage to that area. The impact was non-survivable.
A shredded jerry can was located in the top of a tall dead tree some 200 metres from the wreckage. Plastic matching the colour of the shredded jerry can was found embedded into the leading edge of the remaining prop blade and also on the radiator tank.
The ASRA Board and members extend their deepest sympathy to the family of the pilot.
Allan Wardill
ASRA Incident Registrar
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