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Plane lodged in golf course tree 'Biggles' tale saved crash pilot
(about 3 hours later)
A pilot has had a lucky escape after his plane crashed into a tree at a golf course in Dundee. A pilot whose light aircraft crashed into a tree on a Dundee golf course has attributed his lucky escape to his love of the "Biggles" adventure stories.
The microlight struck the trunk, on the 15th hole at the city's Caird Park Golf Course, at about 1650 BST. Vince Hagedorn's two-seater microlight struck the trunk, on the 15th hole at the city's Caird Park Golf Course, at about 1650 BST.
The pilot, who was the only person on board the two-seater plane, suffered a head wound, and was rescued after about an hour by emergency personnel. He told BBC Scotland he copied his landing from one of the WWI flying ace's famous books.
Nobody else was injured. The pilot was taken to Dundee's Ninewells Hospital for a medical assessment. Mr Hagedorn ran low on fuel after coming across bad weather.
He had been flying north to visit his daughter in Findhorn, in the north of Scotland, who had been coping with a family death.
The incident at the course, in a large area of parkland on the outskirts of Dundee, sparked a large emergency response, with police, fire service and ambulance staff attending.The incident at the course, in a large area of parkland on the outskirts of Dundee, sparked a large emergency response, with police, fire service and ambulance staff attending.
Firefighters placed a 44ft ladder against the tree to reach the stranded pilot. Nobody else was injured in the incident.
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Plane lodged in golf course treePlane lodged in golf course tree
Firefighters placed a 44ft ladder against the tree to reach the stranded pilot. Mr Hagedorn, who was taken to Dundee's Ninewells Hospital for a medical assessment, said he felt lucky to have escaped with only a minor head injury.
Speaking from the scene, BBC Scotland reporter Andrew Anderson said the pilot had been described as "walking wounded". The pilot had been due to land at RAF Kinloss, but had to divert after encountering changeable weather conditions along his route.
He said: "We're about two or three miles from Dundee Airport and there is a flying club there and a pilot training club and, presumably, this pilot, judging by the direction the plane's pointing in, was trying to make the airport." Mr Hagedorn said he thought several altitude changes he had to make along the route as a result increased the fuel consumption of his aircraft.
"The plane hit the tree, about 100 feet up - it's a big tree and (the pilot) has gone straight into the trunk of it." He found himself left with no choice but to make his first emergency landing at the golf course, after a failed attampt to put down at Dundee Airport.
Pat Walmsley, of Tayside Fire and Rescue, told BBC Scotland the man was very lucky. Recalling one of Captain WE Johns' adventures about James Bigglesworth, Mr Hagedorn said: "There's a story where Biggles has his engine shot up over enemy lines.
"He tries to get back to the airfield and doesn't quite make it and ends up with no height over a wood.
Firefighters used a long ladder to reach the stranded pilotFirefighters used a long ladder to reach the stranded pilot
"When we got to the pilot he was conscious and able to speak," he said, adding: "He did help us a lot with the rescue, putting the harness on for himself and it made it a lot easier for us to get him out of the predicament he found himself in. "What he does is he flies into the wood, and, as he flies into the wood, he pulls the stick back to pancake onto trees - and I just did that. I just stalled into the tree."
"He just said he got into some difficulties en route and ended up in the tree, unfortunately." Mr Hagedorn went on: "I feel I'm very lucky to walk away," and, when asked if he would ever fly again, the pilot added: "If I had a plane, I'd be up there tomorrow."
The pilot was praised by golfers for preventing the plane from coming down on nearby houses and roads. Pat Walmsley, of Tayside Fire and Rescue, told BBC Scotland the pilot was very lucky.
"When we got to the pilot he was conscious and able to speak," he said, adding: "He did help us a lot with the rescue, putting the harness on for himself and it made it a lot easier for us to get him out of the predicament he found himself in."
Mr Hagedorn was praised by golfers for preventing the plane from coming down on nearby houses and roads.
Greg Martin said: "It's incredibly lucky. The pilot has not just saved his own life, but avoided a catastrophe.Greg Martin said: "It's incredibly lucky. The pilot has not just saved his own life, but avoided a catastrophe.
"It is a miracle he is alive. He must have been pretty capable at handling that aeroplane."It is a miracle he is alive. He must have been pretty capable at handling that aeroplane.
"The pilot must have seen what was ahead and kept away from the built-up areas. He deserves credit.""The pilot must have seen what was ahead and kept away from the built-up areas. He deserves credit."
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been notified about the incident.The Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been notified about the incident.
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