20.08.2008

Cranes, Platforms and telehandlers to the rescue

A couple had a lucky escape this weekend after their light aircraft clipped a transmission tower and caught up on the high tension power lines near Durach, Germany.
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The aircraft hing up on the high tension wires

The aircraft was left dangling upside down from one of its wheels, a helicopter rescue was deemed too dangerous as the downdraft could easily have dislodged the plane some 20 metres or so above the ground.

The German rescue services arrived with a truck mounted aerial lift, a Merlo Roto telehandler with platform and an All Terrain crane.
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A safety strap is attached to the plane

The team first of all used the Merlo to attach a strap to the aircraft to prevent it falling, they then used the aerial lift to bring out the tow occupants who had been hanging upside down in the plane for over two hours.

Finally the crane and the lifts moved in to lift the plane to the ground, we have only a couple of photos, but the BBC has a reasonable video of the rescue. Click here to see