No Injuries, But Airplane Remained Wedged In The Ride For Several Hours

A microlight aircraft operating from a grass airfield near Taree, Australia became wedged in the metalwork of a Ferris wheel set up as part of a local festival Saturday. Fortunately neither the two people on board the Cheetah S200 or two children on the ride were injured. It did, however, take several hours to get everyone safely back on the ground.

The French news service AFP reports a witness told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that she saw the aircraft, and thought it was too low, and then "bang, he went straight into it." The Herald-Sun of Melbourne, Australia said the pilot was attempting to land at the nearby airfield when he "clipped a tree" and then hit the carnival ride. Photos show the airplane wedged into the framework near a car holding two children about 30 feet off the ground.

Another witness said he had seen the plane and heard the noise, but did not realize for about a a minute that the plane was actually wedged into the carnival ride.

It took about 90 minutes for a crane to be brought to the site and rescue the kids using a basket suspended from the crane. Getting the pilot and passenger from the airplane reportedly took another hour and 15 minutes.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has the accident under investigation.

FMI: www.atsb.gov.au