{"id":206422,"date":"2018-04-16T16:58:01","date_gmt":"2018-04-16T06:58:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=206422"},"modified":"2020-08-05T11:38:53","modified_gmt":"2020-08-05T01:38:53","slug":"plane-makes-emergency-landing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2018\/04\/16\/plane-makes-emergency-landing\/","title":{"rendered":"Plane Makes Emergency Landing"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Owen Blamires checks his Cessna prior to take-off from its emergency landing zone (Photo: Supplied)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

April 16, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wondai businessman Owen Blamires and two young passengers had a lucky escape on Saturday when a fuel issue led to their Cessna 172 making a forced landing in Wondai.<\/p>\n

The light aircraft landed on a grassed area near Cranitch Street in the Wondai Industrial Estate, only a few hundred metres from where the Wondai Sprints were being held.<\/p>\n

Owen told southburnett.com.au<\/strong> the incident occurred as he was returning to Wondai airstrip after a short sightseeing flight over Bjelke-Petersen Dam.<\/p>\n

He said he was cruising over the Cherbourg forestry when his left side fuel tank hit empty.<\/p>\n

“I switched to the right tank expecting the engine to refresh …”<\/p>\n

Unfortunately for Owen and his passengers, bees had damaged the fuel line, starving the motor.<\/p>\n

“There was still fuel in the tank but suddenly I had to begin to plan to find a safe place to land,” he said.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“I looked at the Wondai Showgrounds and the golf course and then I saw an area clear of people … and there were emergency services nearby!<\/p>\n

“I thought that if anything went pear-shaped it would be good to have them around.”<\/p>\n

Owen said the landing went smoothly, and after repairs the take-off went equally well.<\/p>\n

“We’re all still walking, that’s the main thing,” he said.<\/p>\n

The plane also suffered no damage in the incident.<\/p>\n

Owen was full of praise for the local police who assisted him on the ground.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“The police were extremely helpful. I can’t speak highly enough of them,” he said.<\/p>\n

The police marked out the 200-300m strip that Owen required for a safe takeoff.<\/p>\n

Owen is still shaking his head about how it all happened.<\/p>\n

“I’d been flying all morning and this was the last trip!” he said.<\/p>\n

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The grounded Cessna 172 after making an emergency landing near the Wondai Industrial Estate on Saturday (Photo: Supplied)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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The Cessna 172 takes off from its makeshift airstrip on Saturday<\/strong><\/p>\n