A Van RV-10 home-build aircraft … the type that was involved in Friday’s drama. Picture: Wikipedia
A door that fell off a small four-seat aircraft just missed hitting a fisherman at South Broulee Beach on the NSW Far South Coast last week.
Surfer Murphy Shaw told ABC News that he was having a morning surf when the door fell off a Van RV-10 home-built aircraft overhead.
He says watching surfers initially panicked when they realised the door might fall on a lone fisherman on the empty beach.
He said they tried to get the person’s attention but the door landed in coastal scrub about 20 metres away from the man who did not appear disturbed by the incident.
Another resident estimated it took the door 30 second to hit the ground about 50m away from his daughter on Friday.
ABC News reported that pilot and passenger landed safely at Moruya Regional Airport after the incident.
Eurobodalla Shire Council told the ABC in a statement that the pilot said the door latch was not secured properly and apologised
Mr Shaw told ABC that the door was carried off and reportedly returned to the airport.
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Australia chief executive Benjamin Morgan was reported as having said such incidents were extremely rare as Australian aviation was subject to the highest standards in the world.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau told the ABC that there would be no investigation.
The single-engine 7.3m (24 feet) long RV-10 has a top speed of 211mph (339kmh) and a ceiling of 20,000 feet, according to the manufacturer’s website.
