Last Sunday’s accident during the Aero GP race, which cost the life of expert Swedish pilot Gabor Varga could have been avoided, aviation experts have told The Malta Independent on Sunday.
Anyone who knows anything about small planes and wind patterns, and who watched the trials on Saturday, the The Malta Independent’s sources added, would have immediately realised that allowing such aerobatics there was extremely dangerous.
The Malta Independent added that the flight path lay between two bastions, which help funnel the wind, and the place where the accident took place – where the wind tunnel opens up to the open sea – is where wind patterns are at their most dangerous.
Two inquiries have been opened on this accident – one by the Court, which appointed an independent expert, and one by the government. However, there could be an issue in this regard, since it was also a government body, the Civil Aviation Authority that issued the permit for the Aero GP. The Malta Independent added that it would be a conflict of interest, sources told this paper, if the government inquiry is staffed by people from the office that permitted the race in the first place.
The remains of the planes which were retrieved by the Armed Forces of Malta have now been confiscated by the court to help it with its inquiry.
The accident happened at around 1200 CET on Sunday 10th September 2006, unfolding before the eyes of thousands of horrified spectators. Two aircraft taking part in the Aero GP of Malta on Sunday morning have collided and crashed in the Marsamxett area.
The two pilots, one of which was seen bailing out and using his parachute, were recovered within minutes. The second pilot 45-year-old Swedish Gabor Varga was certified dead on location. He was flying a Yak-55 aerobatic aeroplane.
Preliminary Police investigations revealed that after the collision, one of the aircrafts lost its tail. As a result both aircrafts plunged into the sea. An autopsy carried out the day after revealed that Swedish pilot Gabor Varga involved in an aircraft collision during the Aero GP in Marsamxett died after drowning and rupturing a lung with the pressure.
This accident occurred only a few weeks prior the annual Malta International Airshow, a long-awaited event by local aviation enthusiasts. The local councils of Mqabba, Qrendi, ¯urrieq, Safi, Kirkop, Luqa, Siġġiewi and Gudja are protesting against the International Airshow saying that they believe that the Airshow is raising concern among residents and is creating inconvenience because of the loud noises generated by the aeroplanes.
See also:
Airshow met with mixture of hope and concern
by MaltaMedia News - Sep 16, 2006
Pilot will not be charged with involuntary murder
by MaltaMedia News - Sep 13, 2006
Pilot involved in Aero GP crash died drowned
by MaltaMedia News - Sep 11, 2006
Stunt pilot dies in crash over Marsamxett
by MaltaMedia News - Sep 10, 2006
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