Flight Lieutenant Roland "Arnie" Morscheck, 37, ejected just 300 metres over a Gippsland farm after his turbo-prop Pilatus PC/9-A collided with a fellow member of the elite Roulettes display team around 10am (AEDT).
Flt Lt Morscheck parachuted to safety in a cow paddock as his plane spiralled into the ground and burst into flames.
One aircraft was destroyed, but the pilot ejected safely. The other pilot managed to recover his aircraft and return to base.
“It was an
emergency ejection as opposed to a premeditated ejection so I had little
time to prepare for it,”
“It all happened very quickly. I pulled the ejection handle and it was a
rush and a strain and a couple of seconds later I felt a definite jolt
as the parachute deployed and the seat fell away.
“From that moment it was all very still and quiet. I saw the aircraft
explode on the ground quite close to underneath me.
RAAF News
Flight
Lieutenant Roland “Arnie” Morscheck parachutes to safety
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Flight Lieutenant Roland “Arnie”Morscheck |
RAAF News
Flight
Lieutenant Roland “Arnie” Morscheck
“I didn’t
have a lot of time to prepare for the parachute landing and, not being a
parachutist, this was new to me. We don’t train to parachute jump, but I
know of the correct landing technique.
“As I was coming down close to the ground I was just thinking of keeping
my heels together and bending my knees. I hit quite hard. I’ve heard it
described as [like] jumping off a two storey building and it felt like
that.
“After landing I rolled onto my back, the chute was still inflated and
it was dragging me slowly along the ground.
“I reached down and disconnected my harness and the wind took the
harness away from me and then I just lay there.”
“After a couple of minutes of lying still I took off my helmet, vest and
g-suit, and sat up,”
“I didn’t feel injured, just a slight bit of neck stiffness. I used the
emergency radio and talked to the approach controller. By that time I
could see the ambulance and the fire truck were on their way.”
“Flying’s my passion, it has been for many years, and I intend to
continue my career in aviation.
Flight Lieutenant Roland “Arnie” Morscheck quoted in RAAF News
Ref:
Various Australian News Reports
RAAF News
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