Couple Left Dangling After Plane Strikes Zip Line | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-07.07.25

Airborne-NextGen-07.08.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.09.25

Airborne-FlightTraining-07.10.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.11.25

Tue, Oct 02, 2018

Couple Left Dangling After Plane Strikes Zip Line

Ultralight Aircraft Had Been On A Mission To Track Rhino Poachers In South Africa

A couple in their 60s were left dangling some 330 feet in the air after the ultralight airplane they were flying on their anti-rhino poaching patrol in South Africa impacted a zip line and got tangled up in the thrill ride's wire.

The U.K. newspaper The Daily Mail reports that the wire became entangled with a bolt just under the propeller of the Bat Hawk airplane. That left the husband and wife, identified only by their first names Peter and Mary, hanging from the wire in what was described as a "rocket launch" position.

The zip line is part of a theme park and runs through a wilderness area of the Pilanesberg National Park. Riders can reach speeds of up to 100 miles per hour on the attraction. But the dangling airplane was rocking in the wind with temperatures climbing as high as 86 degrees for several hours, according to the report.

 The pair was rescued by Rob Thomas. He climbed down the zip line and was able to extract the couple from the airplane.
 
 The Bat Hawk is used by many game preserves for anti-poaching efforts because of its ability to fly very slowly and quietly. It can take off and land in as little as 90 feet.
 
"Our Bat Hawk, named Mafolodi, flew into the Sun City zip line and the pilot Peter and his wife Mary were rescued and were not injured," said a spokesman for the Pilanesberg National Park. "They were just very very scared. Now they are safe we will rescue Mofalodi."

The pilot of a Bell Jet Ranger 206 was fatally injured in 2011 when he impacted the same zip line while traveling to pick up some friends on a farm near Sun City, according to the report.

(Image posted to Facebook by Mountain Club of SA - Search And Rescue)

FMI: Original report

Advertisement

More News

Airborne 07.11.25: New FAA Boss, New NASA Boss (Kinda), WB57s Over TX

Also: ANOTHER Illegal Drone, KidVenture Educational Activities, Record Launches, TSA v Shoes The Senate confirmed Bryan Bedford to become the next Administrator of the FAA, in a ne>[...]

Airborne-Flight Training 07.10.25: ATC School, Air Race Classic, Samson School

Also: Sully v Bedford, Embraer Scholarships, NORAD Intercepts 11, GAMA Thankful Middle Georgia State University will be joining the Federal Aviation Administration’s fight ag>[...]

Airborne Affordable Flyers 07.03.25: Sonex HW, BlackShape Gabriel, PRA Fly-In 25

Also: DarkAero Update, Electric Aircraft Symposium, Updated Instructor Guide, OSH Homebuilts Celebrate The long-awaited Sonex High Wing prototype has flown... the Sonex gang tells >[...]

Airborne-Flight Training 07.10.25: ATC School, Air Race Classic, Samson School

Also: Sully v Bedford, Embraer Scholarships, NORAD Intercepts 11, GAMA Thankful Middle Georgia State University will be joining the Federal Aviation Administration’s fight ag>[...]

Rick Kenin New Board Chair of VAI

30-Year USCG Veteran Aviator Focusing On Member Benefits The Vertical Aviation International Board of Directors announced its new leadership officers in April, and all began their >[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC