On Monday afternoon at 4:00, Vic Echevarria, David Mitchell and James Murphy met with Jim Joyce and Mr. Tim Coley, Director of the Henry County Parks and Recreation Department regarding a mishap involving an RC airplane that got away from its pilot and crash landed in one of the baseball diamonds at the Red Hawk Baseball Complex located on the south end of the HCRCC flying field. This situation developed on Saturday afternoon during a baseball tournament game at the Red Hawk Complex.
The model was a Habu 2 Foamie owned by club member Dane Jones (AMA card # not on record) and was being flown by club member Brian Hurley, AMA 893967. Early indications are that Brian was assisting Dane with the flight but lost orientation and, according to the Henry County report, the model swooped low over the field coming within three feet of a player on first base then climbed and struck the outfield fence netting and lodged there approximately four feet from the top of the netting.
Jim Joyce opened the meeting with the information listed above as it was reported to him. He reviewed his surprise and displeasure with the incident and said that although we have enjoyed a very good safety record, this incident left him seeking some assurance that recurrence would not be possible. At this time Tim Coley began by informing us that the Red Hawk Baseball Complex is just a part of the Henry County baseball program that markets these facilities to youth baseball programs across the country and nets Henry County “hundreds of thousands of dollars annually” and therefore, must be protected from this type publicity and danger.
They also showed us pictures of a HCRCC member who, without authorization from Henry County, climbed the pole supporting the fence netting to retrieve the model. It appeared that the County leadership was as upset at this action as they were over the crash landing of the model.
Although Mr. Joyce reminded us that as soon as he heard of the situation, he ordered immediate suspension of flight operations at the field, neither Mr. Joyce nor Mr. Coley were insistent upon the club not flying on days wherein baseball activities were taking place. Rather, Mr. Coley said that in an effort to make certain that this type situation does not recur, he suggested that when games were being played at the baseball complex that the club consider moving the southern edge of the flying area further away from the baseball complex.
We requested and were given a schedule of all the baseball tournament activities listed for the remainder of 2013. (A copy is attached) It appears that this activity will average two days a month for August through November. However, when we examined the schedule for the first six months of the year, it appears that nearly three out of each four weekends of each month are involved with baseball games at the field.
Mr. Coley told us that the baseball tournament director came over to the field seeking information about what happened. He said the owner and pilot were cooperative and he had no problem with then. However, the tall bald man (no name provided) gave the tournament director a hard time and that every time he turned to leave, this man made another negative comment that caused further problems for the director.
We told Mr. Joyce and Mr. Coley that the club had this situation under investigation and upon completion of the task, we would get back to them with a full report of the incident. We also told them that we would give a total review of our operating procedures for dates wherein base ball activities were scheduled and get back to them with our corrective action.
We are currently seeking written statements from the members involved and will use this information in our investigation. We will call a meeting of all the officers and key members of the club in an effort to develop a functional plan for flight operations during baseball activities.
Respectfully submitted, James R. Murphy, Secretary
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