The Civil Aviation Authority said the man's actions put lives at risk. Photo: Unsplash / Nancy Hughes
A man has been fined after crashing an amateur-built plane that was not safe to fly, and flying it without a licence.
The man was sentenced in the Marton District Court last week and ordered to pay $14,475 for multiple serious breaches of aviation safety rules.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said the man's actions were "reckless" and put lives at risk, including his own.
It said he was flying the aircraft from Feilding Aerodrome in March last year and crash landed in a field near Marton.
He was seriously injured and the plane was damaged beyond repair, it said.
The man had been rebuilding the plane since it was involved in an earlier crash.
The authority's investigation found he had flown the plane several times without a licence, and while the aircraft was not certified as airworthy.
The CAA's deputy chief executive Dean Winter said the case was a stark reminder that aviation safety rules exist for a reason.
"The 'pilot' made a series of reckless choices that could have had significant consequences for other people, in addition to the serious injuries he suffered," he said.
The CAA said in deciding the fine, the court noted the man had put himself, the public and first responders in danger.
"When individuals choose to ignore those responsibilities, they put lives at risk, as the defendant did in this case when he flew across state highways, numerous farms and occupied houses," Winter said.
"Flying without proper qualifications or approvals is not just a paperwork issue - it's a safety issue.
"Proper training, aircraft maintenance, licensing and certification are fundamental to ensuring safe skies."
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