Lucky Boys..

[Dave Docwra]

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=835_1344412426&p=1

 

[Chris]

That's just a clever ad for Go Pro cameras

Chris

 

[Ecoman]

Very lucky to be alive

 

[Crispin]

Due to warming temperatures we had a hard time gaining altitude.

Overloaded. Looks like a 172(?) with 4 adults in, on a hot day, that is probably on the limit.
A 172 with two half tanks of fuel, instructor and I struggled in Johannesburg on a hot summers day.

Sorry, pilot was an idiot for not aborting and going back.

 

[BobMurphy]

There's a large hill / mountain on the left. If the wind was coming over the hill it could be producing a succession of rolling waves - with a series of downdrafts. It looks as though they flew straight into one.

It did seem to take an age to get off and wasn't getting much height - maybe the field was at a high altitude as well ?

Bob.

 

[Chas]

I think the wind was coming from his right, on lift off you could see a slight crabbing and later he edged slightly right to come more into wind but there could have been a large hill on that side too.

 

[Andrew Brierley]

Due to warming temperatures we had a hard time gaining altitude.

Overloaded. Looks like a 172(?) with 4 adults in, on a hot day, that is probably on the limit.
A 172 with two half tanks of fuel, instructor and I struggled in Johannesburg on a hot summers day.

Sorry, pilot was an idiot for not aborting and going back.

Absolutely right there. He clearly wasn't getting the lift that he needed, and to fly across trees was lunacy - you always make sure that you have a landing option. If in doubt, he should have tried to climb in the circuit pattern over the airfield. He deserves to have his licence revoked.