Lopen Räyskälä Airport Executive Director Anu Vahteristo opens up about the shocking day of the accident in an interview.
Two German men died in an extraordinary plane crash in Lopen Räyskälä on Wednesday at noon. The men were picking up an American-made machine for the new owner. The owner had also traveled to Finland and arrived in Lope to pick up the plane.
Executive Director of the Räyskälä Foundation Anu Vahteristo was at work as usual at the time of the accident. The executive director, who previously gave an interview to Yle, also opens up about his day to Iltalehti. His office is located near the korpi field in a motel building. The guard started his work in the spring of 2022.
– It’s been quite a few days here, Vahteristo begins.
Up until the moment of the accident, the working day had gone on as usual.
– Until then, it was Normipäivä at the office. Office secretary and head of education at the Finnish Aviation Institute Matti Huovila were playing with Huovila’s dog in the yard.
The day was interrupted by the noise carried by the screeching of the plane.
– The soundscape was clear that something bad had happened. I went to see what had happened. The sight was inconsolable.
– When a metal shack weighing almost 2,000 kilos hits the ground, it makes quite a sound. There was no doubt that something bad was going to happen.
The story continues after the picture.
Anu Vahteristo was in his office at the time of the accident. Räyskälä Foundation HandOut
The flight attendant says that in the morning there was a sound related to the start of flight operations.
The crash plane is the SNJ-3 naval version of the North American Aviation AT-6 Texan. It is known for being loud and its running sound is louder than usual.
– I just heard that they use the Texan there and will definitely be flying it soon. At the same time, a military exercise was taking place, due to which the second runway was closed. I went to hang out in the hall opening for other things and came back.
According to those present, the take-off went well and without any problems. One of the people who followed the rise was also the new owner.
– Everything looked and sounded normal. Shortly after the flight something had happened and this accident happened. Apparently, the investigation has shown with a high probability that the blade did not rotate when it hit the ground.
– Unfortunately, the new owner had to follow the fate of his comrades, and in that sense what happened is a particularly terrible tragedy for him from a human perspective.
The place where the plane fell was between a forest and a cleared area. Simo Päivärinta
There was no rescue aspect
According to the guard, there were not a large number of eyewitnesses, as the official flying season is already over. In addition to the new owner, the accident was witnessed by random visitors who were doing, for example, maintenance procedures.
According to the guard, there is also fuel distribution at Räyskälä airport, as a result of which there is slightly more firefighting equipment in accordance with the regulations. Although the initial extinguishing work was started on the spot, there was nothing left to save.
– There would probably not have been a rescue perspective in the situation. Even if the extinguishing work had been successful in the initial extinguishing, the collision was so severe that nothing could be done.
According to Vahteristo, the Accident Investigation Center Otkes is investigating the case and is trying to find out the causes that led to the accident.
The wreckage has been moved away from the crash site. The guard says that the possible contamination of the fall area is still being investigated, even though the terrain is otherwise clean. The airport is located in the groundwater area.
The fire from the accident was recorded on the field’s web camera at 12:18 p.m Airport webcam
Memories from my youth came to the surface
The incident made Vahteristo also think about the fatal accident that happened in the early days of his flying career.
– In the early years of the sailing tour, a serious two-seater plane had a twisting accident at Selänpää airport, in which two people died.
The guard was working in the “dome” when the accident happened and knew the people who died through that as well.
– The aviation association was very upset, and crisis aid was not available in the same way, says Vahteristo.
Over the decades, the importance of crisis aid has been emphasized and he says that Kanta-Häme’s crisis workers arrived at the accident site shortly after the events.
– Fortunately, it’s different now. The crisis service worked great and they were there right away. Eyewitnesses were well taken care of.
– When you have to see such destruction, it’s a terrible place for an aviator. However, it is good that we received support from each other in a difficult situation.
According to Vahteristo, when an accident happens, aviation enthusiasts consider the reasons behind the incident. In addition, the community also supports others as needed.
– Recreational pilots have to accept the risks of the sport. In the situation, the shock is severe, but in a way, let’s grasp the rational reason, which has led to the possible accident.
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