ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 61657
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| Date: | 12-JAN-1977 |
| Time: | |
| Type: | Slingsby T.45 Swallow |
| Owner/operator: | Charlie Delta Syndicate |
| Registration: | ZK-GCD |
| MSN: | 1505 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Lake Wakatipu, Otago -
 New Zealand
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | |
| Lake Wakitipu, NZ | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
Joe Himmel [Vintage Kiwi member] in fact built this Swallow from a kit set supplied by Slingsby Sailplanes for the Southland Gliding Club. Work started 1959, and was completed in 1961 when it was test flown. (Registration ZK-GCD was allocated in June 1960).
As with all these things a large enthusiastic group started on the construction, but quickly dwindled down to Joe and a couple of helpers. Joe at that time owned a boat building business and it was constructed at his boat yard.
After some years flying the aircraft had a smack up in a contest, which required a new fuse to be rebuilt. ZK-GCD was substantially damaged when crashed at Lake Ohau, New Zealand 8/1/1966 (pilot N Pritchard)
So another fuse only kit was ordered and duly built and fitted to the rest of the aircraft that survived, and it was flying again. It sustained a further accident when it crashed at Lake Wakitipu, New Zealand on 12 January 1977
This Swallow became non airworthy due to mainframe failure [glue and wood] Owners Harry and Ruth Kindon could not bear to dispose of her, so contacted Vintage Kiwi for support. It was decided to have original builder Joe Himmel of Auckland, tidy her up complete with a repaint for display at the Classic Flyers Museum at Tauranga. It represents the colour scheme of that time, but is not the original colours.
Registration ZK-GCD officially and belatedly cancelled in July 2005 as "destroyed" (even though it still exists!)
Sources:
http://archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewEntity.do?code=7333
http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/t45.htm
[LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://vintagekiwi.gliding.co.nz/slingsby-swallow-at-tauranga-museum-27/]
https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1350701/
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 8 Jan 1966 | ZK-GCD | Otago Gliding Club | 0 | Lake Ohau, Canterbury | |
sub |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 22-May-2009 12:58 | XLerate | Added |
| 04-Jan-2013 14:49 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Phase, Nature, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 13-Feb-2022 05:04 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
| 17-Feb-2023 03:51 | Ron Averes | Updated [Operator] |
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