It is thought the pilot misjudged his take-off, causing the crash into the wheel at the Old Bar Festival in Taree, but neither he, his passenger or the two children who were on the ride were seriously injured.
Four people were rescued after the ultra-light plane crashed into a Ferris wheel near the small coastal town of Old Bar, about 190 miles north of Sydney earlier today.
Pilot Paul Cox and his passenger, son-in-law John, were trapped inside the plane as it dangled from the Ferris wheel about 10 metres above the ground.
“I wouldn't be here now if it wasn't for that plane. They're made so well, those planes,” said Mr Cox after his rescue.
Son-in-law John explained that they had been most concerned for the two children who were on the ride when they hit it: “When we found out we had kids, you know, I think it was in the one next to us or a couple down, it was like no, get the kids out first. Don't worry about us. Just get the damn kids out,” he said.
The plane, a Cheetah S200, was practicing touch-and-go manoeuvres at a nearby airstrip, but failed to gain enough altitude to clear the Ferris wheel, which was placed at the southern end of the runway as part of the local Old Bar Beach Festival.
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