At about 1.40pm On Friday 26th a Piper Cherokee plane crashed into the water about 100 metres offshore of Te Kopua Domain.
It appears the plane’s engine cut out just after take off and the pilot was attempting to make it back to the airstrip. Raglan Emergency services were soon on the scene with Raglan Coastguard assisting.
Westpac Rescue Helicopter pilot Loren Haisley said all members of local rescue services should be given credit, “but particularly the Raglan Coast Guard . . . all three occupants of the aircraft were rescued from the water within minutes”.
About 200 beach goers beachgoers rushed to the scene and were on hand helping to bring the people shore.
Two males and a female from Auckland were onboard. The men have minor to moderate injuries and were taken to Waikato Hospital. The woman was taken to hospital by rescue helicopter. (The males are status 3/4 and have been taken to Waikato Hospital by Ambulance. The female is status 1 and has been taken to hospital by Rescue Helicopter.) The 26-year-old woman is in a serious but stable condition in Waikato Hospital after being assessed in the emergency department, Waikato District Health Board said. The two men, aged 23 and 46, were also taken to Waikato Hospital and were expected to be discharged after receiving treatment.
Auckland man Alan Butler, 23, was piloting the Piper Cherokee on Boxing Day with this sister Leanne Butler, 26, and her husband Kevin Paulsen, 46, aboard when it crashed. Leanne was the most seriously injured but was expected to be out of hospital on Saturday night. The pilot has been praised for deciding to land on water instead of crash-landing among hundreds of beach-goers at Raglan. Raglan Beach was full of holiday makers so it was fortunate the plane avoided the high density area.
The plane submerged and was marked with a buoy before it was recovered.
Its time the use of the Raglan Airfield was reviewed with a regard to safety and quiet enjoyment of Raglan residents and visitors. In NZ small planes crash far too often. Here in Raglan there are no restrictions to small private planes flying low over our residences, shopping centre, playgrounds, campgrounds and harbour.
The police are out to catch the young ones in their boy racers hooning around town but it seems a few private planes are free to hoon around our airspace and terrorise the residents and tourists alike Ratepayers are required $10,000 a year to mow the grass to let these pirates take off and land and are denied access by fencing and officious signs.
Open the airfield up to the people and let the less abled among us enjoy the beach and grass on the level.
Te Kopua was “‘given” to the people of Raglan to enjoy and yet it is fenced off for a few.
Te Kopua consists of several blocks of land. The land that was given for recreational use is the current reserve/ domain (the Kapahua Blocks), although even part of that is privately owned. The land where the airfield is, was never given for recreational use. It was taken under the Public Works Act for use as an airfield. If it is not used as an airfield then it needs to be offerred back to the original owners. It is not available for recreational use.
Thanks Rodger, Well, that is an easy way to get rid of the menace and danger of having an airfield in the middle of a township?
We could just hand it back to the original owners and its very likely the area will be able to be enjoyed by residents and visitors to Raglan. Like the land on Riri Kereopa Drive that used to be a golf course. Now we have a beautiful golf course in an appropriate area and open space on the waterfront for campers managed by the original family.
But I also know Eva Rickard fought the law for years to get her family land out from under the Public Works Act – the airfield sure aint serving its original need for war, but creating similar danger and noise for residents and visitors alike
There are crashes every few years, so far none fatal fortunately, but it seems Raglan airfield is recognised as having safety problems – see article on page 16 of http://www.caa.govt.nz/Publications/Vector/Vector_2012-1.pdf. Will be interesting to see what the latest investigation will reveal about safety.