Charges arose from microlight crash

Press, 18 December 1985, Page 51

Charges arose from microlight crash

PA Tauranga A Hastings pilot from the bush, Dawson Anthony Bliss, has been convicted in the District Court at Tauranga on three charges arising from a microlight aircraft crash. The self-employed hunter, described in court as “the last of the pioneers,” had denied six charges brought by the Civil Aviation Division. Two charges of flying without a licence and one of flying without registration identification on or about January 11 were dismissed by Judge Wilson. However, he convicted Bliss on two charges of

failing to surrender documents, and failing to produce documents relating to subsequent inquiries in March and April. Bliss was fined $250 and ordered to pay witnesses’ expenses of $6OO. Counsel for Bliss, Mr Tony Cole, said it was not a case of “someone who leapt out of the general public and decided he was going to fly a microlight without any skills behind him.” Bliss lived and hunted in the bush and microlight flying was an extension of his lifestyle, he said. A microlight dealer, Mr Arch Haddow, of Mount Maunganui, said he had sold

a microlight in January to Bliss who had immediately flown it away and crashed

Mr Haddow said the microlight should not have been flown before January 22, the date of its permit to fly-

Detective Colin McKay said Bliss had told him he held a pilot’s licence and a certificate of registration but had failed to produce the documents.

The Judge dismissed the three flying charges, saying the police had not proved that Bliss flew the microlight on or about January 11.