Pilot injured in plane crash-landing in Tai Po out of critical condition
The single propeller plane was being used to practise aerobatics when the accident happened
A 23-year-old man was injured when the light aircraft he was piloting crash-landed in Tai Po on Sunday afternoon. Emergency services received multiple reports at around 4.30pm that a propeller plane was involved in an accident. Fire services and Marine Region police responded to the reports, and found the aircraft had crashed into the bushes at Mai Shi Chau, a small island near Tai Po.
The pilot, who was the only person on the aircraft, was conscious when he was taken to Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin for treatment. He suffered some injuries to his face. Although he was admitted in critical condition, his condition had, as of yesterday afternoon, been downgraded from critical to serious.
Witnesses at the scene reported hearing a loud bang when the crash happened, but did not see any fire or smoke. They also said they saw the plane had lost control and was plunging towards the ground.
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According to a spokesman for the Civil Aviation Department (CAD), preliminary inspections found that both the wings and fuselage of the aircraft were damaged in the crash. The aircraft, a Zlin Z42, is owned by the Hong Kong Aviation Club. The pilot was practising aerobatics at the time of the crash. He had three months of flying experience. The accident did not cause any damage or injuries to people or property on the ground. The CAD said they were following up with the Aviation Club. The CAD also said it could take about year to investigate the cause of the crash.
In February 2016, another Zlin Z42 from the Aviation Club crashed into the water near Plover Cove in Tai Po. A long-serving CAD officer who had been flying the aircraft died in that accident.
The Zlin Z42 is used around the world for training and aerobatics exercises. This single propeller plane can carry one passenger and one pilot, and has a maximum speed of around 250km/h.