It is with great sadness that I am informing you of the death of John
Shuttleworth at Matamata air field today, 10/18/2016. John was as far as
I know the first to use a rotary engine in an aircraft in NZ . He built
and flew a 2/3 scale P51 Mustang. At this stage we have no information
as to what may have happened . The CAA will investigate and hopefully we
may know more in due course.
Andrew Campbell.
I am very sorry to hear that. Any info at all on what happened Andrew.
Paul Lamar
That is sad indeed.
I do not know John, but was lucky to fly in and out of that airport once.
Gordon Gao
Better pictures.
From news reports for what that is worth ????
Apparently he was not wearing a shoulder harness and he hit his head on
the instrument panel.
The dumb newspaper reporters also said he "dived" and "crashed" . Hardly
the result of a dive. That was a good off runway dead stick landing. The
airplane looks flyable.
Paul Lamar
Wearing no shoulder harness, that,s a bad habit that some older fellows
can't shake, my buddy is one, says it's more hassle to get off in
accident, I don't buy it, seems lazy to me.
Condolences to his family.
Steve Carlisle
Assume, since early email said it was a T51 that crashed, that it was a
kit built Titan. Is that the case. Also, curious as to whether the
several more 2/3 P51s at Tauranga Airport are Titans or some other kit
or plans built planes. My favorite airplane.
Van Van
Not sure what plan the others used. They are buddies and built the P51s
together. They are also buddies with Chris Wade but for some reason did
not use his rotary set up.
Gordon Gao
This is all there is so far here in NZ:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/85458905/light-plane-crashes-at-matamata-airport
http://gliding.co.nz/news/latest-news/
http://deaths.waikatotimes.co.nz/obituaries/waikato-times-nz/obituary.aspx?n=john-shuttleworth&pid=182013123&fhid=12697
https://www.facebook.com/SportAircraftAssociation/
Paul Randall
Somebody cut the cross member behind the front seat that anchored
the shoulder harness.
It may have been the police to get the body out. They are fond of using
a device called the Jaws of Life. Basically it is a huge bolt cutter.
It would cut through 1/2 inch chrome molly .035 wall tubing in the
blink of an eye. It makes it look like the seat collapsed.
Paul Lamar
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