Emergency Operating Procedures

The aim of this SOP is to ensure that all Club Members have a procedure to follow in the event of an emergency. Further refinement of these notes may occur and if so, amended notes will be issued. Should any Club Member wish to raise any points that he/she feels needs changing, the matter should be put to the Committee in writing for consideration.

1. General:

As soon as possible, after or during the vertical process below, the following must be advised:-

1. ATC (to cancel any limited flight plan or to notify of aircraft activity in the area).
2. The police if there is damage to property.
3. The Club CFI.
4. The Club president.
5. The CFI must notify CAA Accident Investigation Notification 24 hr Freephone No. 0508 ACCIDENT (0508 222 433). NZRCC answers calls and will notify CAA.
6. The President contacts the insurance company (fax/email).
7. In the case of a fatal or serious accident involving a glider or a towing aircraft, the GNZ President and the GNZ National Publicity Coordinator must be informed as soon as practicable, so that they can coordinate responses to any media inquiry. Never speculate on the possible cause of an accident to media. The Club President is the only Club member authorised to make statements to the media.
8. After the accident is dealt with, the P in C (or CFI if necessary) must fill out a CAA accident reporting form. This can either be done on the CAA website online or on the CA005 Occurrence Report Form and must be done within 10 days of the accident.

Note: The glider is not allowed to be salvaged until authorisation has been received from both the CAA and the Insurance Assessor. It is wise to take an engineer along in any salvage crew to ensure that unnecessary further damage is avoided (See Procedure With Damage or Suspected Damage).

2. Aircraft Accident in the Vicinity of the Aerodrome:

Call emergency services on 111. (Police if accident fatal.) Give very specific instructions on how to get to accident site.

Dispatch ground vehicle. Take first aid kit, cellphone and/or handheld VHF for communication.

If crew is incapacitated, DO NOT MOVE unless there is risk of further injury.

Be alert for neck and back injury in all accidents and seek medical advice before doing more than administering first aid and comfort.

After crew is taken care of, secure glider from further damage, vandalism and media (if possible lock paddlock access gates). Take names and contact details of witnesses. Note prevailing conditions and take photographs of area and crash site for investigation and insurance purposes. If you do move the aircraft, it must be moved only so far as necessary and you should make descriptive notes and take photographs of the original position and any significant impact marks.

3. Aircraft Accident in Remote Area:

Call emergency services on 111.

Try to determine location of crash site and condition of crew (towplane/powerplane). If possible use GPS/aircraft transponder to pinpoint site. If necessary get assistance from Aeroclub, private owners etc.

Any vehicle going to a crash site must take first aid kit, cellphone and/or handheld VHF for communication.

4. Missing Aircraft Procedure:

Try to determine area of intended operations from board, any operational calls or sightings. Listen out on 121.5 for call or ELT. If close to darkness, notify ATC/RCC immediately.

Recall all gliders operating in the area and determine the conditions from pilots for an opinion on possible whereabouts. If a power plane is available use for a quick search.

Contact ATC to find out time/location of any calls. Try to establish contact on the glider frequency/s of 124.65

Establish and write down where other gliders have been operating in order to avoid confusion.

If glider cannot be located quickly advise ATC/RCC so that they can take over the search.

5. Action to Be Taken By P in C of Overdue Aircraft/Landing in a Remote Area:

If anticipating a landout in a remote area contact local ATC with location and intentions. If unable to, try to pass information on to another glider or aircraft. Make distress call on 121.5 if unable to contact anyone.

Report to Duty Instructor after landing by phone if possible.

Stay with glider and activate ELT if equipped. (Aircraft is easier to find than a person.) If you have to leave the glider leave a written note advising intentions.

6. Procedure with Damage or Suspected Damage to Club or NLGC Jurisdiction Private Glider:

This protocol applies to any event that results in stresses being placed upon an aircraft that are outside of its normal operational envelope, which may affect the structural integrity of any component of the aircraft. This may include (but is not limited to):-

Heavy landings (defined as a routine landing in which the aircraft makes contact with the surface with more force than usual, thereby possibly causing damage to the aircraft). This may be determined by the pilot or any qualified observer.

Excessive ‘G’ loading (either positive or negative) that may be derived from very turbulent conditions or manoeuvring loads or a combination of both.

Aerobatic manoeuvres for which the glider is not rated, exceeding placarded speed limitations including deployment of airbrakes at excessively high speed.

Any evidence of surface control flutter or wing resonance, or any abnormal input felt by the pilot through the controls during flight. ï‚· ground handling errors.

Required Course of Action:

1. The event is to be immediately reported to the Duty Instructor and the aircraft is to be taken out of service until the aircraft has been checked and cleared to fly by a qualified engineer.
2. The occurrence is to be noted in the DI book under ‘defects’, which must be signed off once the aircraft has been cleared for service.
3. A written incident report must be given to the CFI by the pilot or other responsible person setting out the circumstances leading to the event in question. A GNZ Ops 10 report form must be sent to the relevant ROO within 14 days.

Cosmetic Damage (Club Aircraft Only):

Any cosmetic damage to a Club aircraft that does not render it unserviceable shall be immediately reported to the Duty Instructor, with a follow up report emailed to the Club Secretary by the person responsible. The damage shall also be entered into the DI book under ‘Defects’.