ASH-25J Crash in Aus

Yesterday. Fatal

On Monday, January 22, 2018 at 10:55:43 AM UTC-5, wrote:
Yesterday. Fatal

This is the only thing I could find - not much to go by. Sad, indeed!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...der-crash.html

On Monday, January 22, 2018 at 10:31:46 AM UTC-8, AS wrote:
On Monday, January 22, 2018 at 10:55:43 AM UTC-5, wrote:
Yesterday. Fatal

This is the only thing I could find - not much to go by. Sad, indeed!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...der-crash.html

We lost another of our brethren. RIP, Paul Mander.
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=204780
Paul's ASH25E was converted to a twin jet self-launcher several years ago.
Jim

"It was on fire when it crashed..."

Mike

On Monday, January 22, 2018 at 2:02:50 PM UTC-5, JS wrote:
We lost another of our brethren. RIP, Paul Mander.
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=204780
Paul's ASH25E was converted to a twin jet self-launcher several years ago.

In addition to being a great guy and a great pilot, Paul was a great promoter
of our sport and donated countless hours to XC and racing training/coaching.
Paul generously lent me his ASH-25J "GO" for FLARM testing a few years back.
He will be greatly missed.

On Monday, January 22, 2018 at 10:55:43 AM UTC-5, wrote:
Yesterday. Fatal

RIP Paul. I got to know Paul personally a few years ago when he bought my SZD-55. He was such a passionate guy. Soaring was his life. Condolences to his family.

On Monday, January 22, 2018 at 2:42:23 PM UTC-5, Mike the Strike wrote:
"It was on fire when it crashed..."

"GO" was equipped with a video monitor showing the engine area,
and IIRC (its been a few years) a fire-suppression system.
Paul was concerned and careful about the possible mishaps.
Sadly we'll probably never learn what happened.

Tragic accident. Since is was near an airfield chances are there were witnesses. It is important to know if the fire was the cause or the result of the accident. Is there more information available? I am sure many folks with jet sustainers would want to know more.

Ramy

The fire was before the crash, seen to be on fire on downwind.
Tom

On Tuesday, 30 January 2018 11:05:13 UTC+11, wrote:
The fire was before the crash, seen to be on fire on downwind.
Tom

Confirmed.

This was the second engine bay fire in this particular glider. The reason it has the Jets fitted was because the previous motor caught fire and did a lot of damage. Rather than putting in a new engine, an experimental certificate was obtained and the dual Jet system installed. There's another ASH25M here in Oz that has also suffered an engine bay fire, coincidental or sign of a greater fault? We won't know for at least 12 months. The ATSB (aussie equivalent of NTSB) has taken control of the investigation. GFA is just a passenger now and waiting for the outcomes.