THEY are a tight-knit group at Jaspers Brush Recreational Flying Club and will all be affected in some way by Saturday’s fatal helicopter crash.
Pilot Andrew Wight, who wrote and produced the highly successful Australian film Sanctum, and American cinematographer Mike DeGruy died when their helicopter crashed and burst into flames on take-off at the Jaspers Brush airfield.
It was very quiet at the airfield on Monday; a few pilots were gathered on the clubhouse verandah while an insurance assessor went about his business.
The burnt wreckage of the Robinson 44 next to the airfield driveway is a confronting reminder of the accident.
Shoalhaven City councillor Dave Bennett is the club’s president.
He was filming the helicopter taking off from about three metres away.
“I saw the tail hit the ground and thought that’s not good, I’m very close.
“I ran toward the clubhouse, I fell but I’m not sure if I lost my footing or if my brain made me drop to the ground.
“I don’t remember what happened at that moment. As I got up I noticed one of the club members running to get a fire extinguisher.”
Before seeing it Cr Bennett knew the helicopter had crashed and was burning.
“I went to hook up a hose, I heard one of the men cry out briefly, but the fire was so intense it just went up straight away,” he said.
“There was no time to get to them – we were driven back by the heat.
“Afterwards everyone was in shock. There were tears, and life evaluations, people were counting their blessings. It reminds you that life is so tenuous.
“My main concern now is the welfare of the club members and making sure they get the right counselling.”
Mr Bennett said the crash would not put him off flying.
“Three or four people lost their lives in car accidents over the weekend too, but everyone still gets in their car.
“Relatively speaking, flying is extremely safe,” he said.
Sunday’s crash brought the fatalities at the airfield to four.
In November 1991 two people died when an Army Pilatus Porter aircraft crashed on take-off.
The plane had 10 people on board who were taking part in Army parachute exercises.
Four aircraft are based at the facility which has a membership of 40.
Mr Bennett said that following the crash a woman, who he presumed was a member of a local anti-airfield lobby group, had yelled out from the airfield driveway that she wished the helicopter had crashed at Berry Show in the hope that it would have shut the operation down.
Jaspers Brush resident Don Hodgson, who has been involved with the campaign against the airfield for many years, said he couldn’t believe that someone involved with the group would say that.
“I can assure you it was no one in any of the formal groups who have been talking to council,” he said.
“There is a small executive co-ordinating the activities of that group and it’s none of them.
“I’m aghast that David BenneTt would say such a thing without revealing who it was so they could be reprimanded. I find it very hard to believe.
“I know all the people who have been involved in the discussion with council, I’ve spoken to them all, they’re not those sort of people.
“I certainly would appreciate knowing who the devil it was that said it; I don’t want anyone involved with us painted in this way.
“Who in their right mind would say such a things?
“I don’t think David Bennett’s frame of mind would be too stable at the moment. I just can’t believe how bad it would be hearing those guys like that.
“You would need lead in your socks if you weren’t affected by that.
“I imagine that will live with him for a long time,” he said.
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