INQUIRY HEARS PILOT PERFORMING DANGEROUS MOVES LEADING UP TO FATAL CRASH AT TATHAM
An inquiry into a fatal ultralight plane crash on the NSW north coast two years ago, has heard the pilot was often seen performing dangerous and illegal aerobatic moves in the months leading up to the crash.
A week long inquest started in Lismore Coroners Court today into the accident at Tatham in 2010, that killed 27-year-old Michael O’Keefe and his passenger 20-year-old Josef Hainut.
The plane crashed into the paddock after taking off from Casino airport.
Casino Aeroclub Committee member Ian Ellis told the court he saw such an incident in April and told the male passenger,
“If you fly with that guy again, you’re going to end up dead, he’s going to kill you.”
Mr Ellis went on to tell the court, the aeroclub decided not to renew Mr O’Keefe’s membership because of his behaviour, but didn’t report the incidents to the authorities because they thought they had already been reported.
“In hindsight, if we had reported it, and his licence was revoked, and he still had his aircraft, he’d still be flying… that was the type of person Mr O’Keefe was”
The court heard Mr O’Keefe had lost his licence in 2009, but regained it three months before the crash.
