The 65 year old pilot died after his ultralight hit 15m tall power lines

A coroner has ruled the death of a 65-year-old pilot after his ultralight aircraft hit powerlines in regional Queensland was as a direct result of his own actions.

An example of a Drifter aircraft. Pic: RAAus

The pilot of an ultralight aircraft crashed and died as a result of non-compliant low-level flying, a coroner has ruled.

The 65-year-old, who was not named in the investigation, crashed his Drifter ultralight aircraft during a recreational flight in regional Queensland on June 26 2022.

The man had headed out in the morning from his private airstrip at a small town and flew to another small town for lunch with friends at the local hotel.

After lunch he left the town for the return flight and was seen flying low over a property just a few kilometres short of the landing strip.

Coroner Carol Lee, in findings without inquest published this month, said a witness heard the “zap” of power lines being struck, then saw the Drifter – a single engine aircraft with an open cockpit and tandem seating for two people – suddenly go into a sharp upward motion before rotating and dropping straight to the ground.

The wires had been suspended about 15 metres above the ground between two poles about 150 metres apart.

The pilot died at the scene.

A forensic pathologist later determined the cause of death to be traumatic asphyxia due to light aircraft collision, the court heard.

The pilot had been licenced since 1988 and experience was not considered a factor in the crash.

At the time of the crash the pilot had a blood-alcohol level of 0.024% and a low level of THC from cannabis in his system.

However Ms Lee found there was insufficient sufficient evidence to determine the impact of this on his fitness to fly.

Instead she found the cause of the crash was “pilot error namely low-level flying” which saw the aircraft strike power lines.

“With the flight path of the Drifter being roughly perpendicular to the power lines, it is possible the pilot was unable to see the power lines due to them blending into the ground,” Ms Lee said referring to the forensic crash unit’s findings.

“The power poles are likely to be well outside his focus area.”

The low level being flown by the pilot was contrary to those permitted under regulations, she said.

“Tragically, the low-level flying associated with this case is not isolated, as past history (for the pilot and other like crashes and near misses) has shown,” she said.

“In this respect, I note the actions taken by RAAus (Recreational Aviation Australia) to highlight the hazards associated with these activities.

“It is hoped that the reinforcing of these issues to the aviation community, and publication of these findings will have the effect of preventing deaths in similar circumstances in the future.”

Ms Lee extended her condolences to the pilot’s family and friends.

Originally published as The 65 year old pilot died after his ultralight hit 15m tall power lines