Rod Vaughan drone strike – developing

Readers and YouTube viewers will recall that New Zealand television celebrity Rod Vaughan had a forced landing on the 28th of March 2018 that ended with ZK LFD, an Aeroprakt A-22 Foxbat overturning.

Mr Vaughan believes he suffered a drone strike.

Speaking to the New Zealand Herald Mr Vaughan and flight instructor Cliff McChesney said the following

A bird would have left feathers and blood. A high-velocity bullet was possible but incredibly unlikely.

“The most probable explanation is that it was a drone,” he said.

Hauraki Aeroclub chief flying instructor Cliff McChesney said members had checked the aircraft and there was no sign of feathers or any other suggestion a bird had impacted the windscreen.

“Something has hit it and that something is pretty heavy, the windscreen is 4mm to 5mm thick and it has imploded,” McChesney said.

He said there were often drones in the area the plane was, as the large open pit mine was a popular spot to photograph.

“I would say there’s a drone up there every day at some time.”

On the 2nd of April 2018, Bruce Simpson made a very salient discovery, there is a directive compelling inspection of door latches Aeroprakt aircraft. As Bruce notes in his video, this would have a big effect if the windscreen went.

sUAS News has been informed by reliable sources that the NZCAA are about to release a report in which they explain that Hauraki Aero Club had noted a crack in the windscreen of ZK LFD and they had ordered a new one.

We await the official report with interest.