Injured Pilot Brings Down Burning Plane -- Safely

An Australian pilot in a burning cropduster managed to bring his bird down safely, in spite of heavy smoke and fire inside the cockpit.

Fred Clipperton, the 69-year old pilot, suffered burns in the process of landing his aircraft, after hearing an explosion and seeing his wing on fire at an altitude of about 100-feet, according to news reports from down under.

"He has to be a good pilot otherwise he'd be dead," fellow cropduster Nigel Wettenhall told The Age newspaper Tuesday. "He's a guy that's spent 30,000 odd hours flying fairly close to the ground."

It happened near the Australian town of Moama near the border between New South Wales and Victoria on Monday. Clipperton, from the town of Deniliquin, had just refueled for his final spraying mission of the day when he heard the explosion on his right wing. Smoke and fire filled the cockpit, but Clipperton was determined to land his plane.

He did.

Fire crews were on the field at the airport in Bunnaloo when the crippled cropduster landed. Clipperton was extracted from the burning plane as the flames were being doused and then rushed to Deniliquin Hospital. He's now listed in satisfactory condition.

Fire officials on the scene said it appeared the wing tank's fuel cap hadn't been properly secure, leading to the fire.

FMI: www.atsb.gov.au