Source: Radio New Zealand
An aerial view of Whanganui Airport where the incident took place. File picture. RNZ / Robin Martin
A student pilot “misjudged the landing” and his plane’s propellor struck the ground at Whanganui Airport on Tuesday afternoon, causing some damage and leaving the student shaken up.
New Zealand Airline Academy director and head of training Celroy Mascarenhas said a student was practising take-offs and landings on a solo flight, when he “misjudged the landing”.
The student is safe, Mascarenhas said, but “shaken up a little bit”.
The airplane had small amounts of damage, and was being assessed.
He said the student would receive “a bit of remedial training to fix the propeller technique”.
The student was flying solo in a small two-seater plane, which he had done about five times prior and successfully landed, Mascarenhas said.
“We don’t want these things happening. It’s rather unfortunate, but it’s learning for us.”
FENZ told RNZ it had received reports about an incident at the airport.
However, a spokesperson said “on arrival the crews were stood down”.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand