Two fliers die in ultralight crash in South Ostrobothnia

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A flying instructor and a pupil both died when an ultralight aircraft crashed to the ground in Kauhava in South Ostrobothnia on Tuesday evening. Authorities suspect that the plane had engine problems before it came down.
     
The accident happened in the neighbourhood of the Kauhava airport at 7.00 p.m. According to an eyewitness, the men were apparently training the so-called simulated engine failure, during which the power output of the engine is reduced for a while and then increased again.
      For some reason, the engine did not regain power, and the aircraft went down in a steep nosedive.
      ”Both men on board evidently died instantly”, estimated Inspector Sakari Palomäki from the South Ostrobothnia Police Department.
     
The EV-97 Eurostar aircraft was used by the flying club at the Air Force Academy in Kauhava. Regardless of its name, the club is a civil aviation association.
      According to Hannu Lehtinen, the chairman of the club, the flight instructor was an experienced pilot. Moreover, the weather at the time of the accident was excellent.
      Lehtinen did not wish to speculate on any possible reasons for the crash. The Accident Investigation Board of Finland is to launch its investigations today.
     
In recent years, several accidents have happened to pilots of ultralight aircraft as aviation as a hobby has become more common.
      In total, some 20 people have died in accidents involving small aircraft, including gliders, since the beginning of the current millennium.
     
The worst individual aircraft crash occurred near Lappeenranta last summer, when a Piper light plane crashed into Lake Saimaa, killing the pilot and two students on board.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Three die in light plane crash near Lappeenranta (18.8.2008)

Links:
  Accident Investigation Board

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