Aust pilot admits offences

By BOURA GORUKILA
AUSTRALIAN pilot David John Cutmore has admitted in court that he did not have proper aviation documents and operated an aircraft in a careless manner when he arrived illegally in PNG in July 26.
Magistrate Alex Kalandi is expected to sentence him when the case returns next Friday, Feb 12.
Cutmore, 52, from Australia is remanded at the Bomana Immigration detention centre.
He flew from Mareeba in Queensland, Australia, in a Cessna 402 aircraft and landed at an airstrip at Papa Lealea, 15 miles north-west of Port Moresby at around 12.20pm.
The court heard that he had turned off the aircraft’s transponder so that he could not be detected by the air traffic controller.
The aircraft was refuelled and loaded with cargo by persons waiting on the ground.
When Cutmore tried to take off at about 3.30pm, he noticed that the airspeed indicator was not working.
The transponder of the aircraft was also switched off.
He aborted take-off.
The aircraft ended up hitting trees at the end of the airstrip.
The aircraft was located later because of the activation of the emergency locator transponder distress signal which was picked up by the air traffic controller.
Police said the manner in which Cutmore conducted himself in relation to the flight was careless because he had operated the aircraft without proper licence validation and ratings and operated the aircraft in a careless manner.
His other pending charges will he heard on Feb 18 with his co-accused Italian yacht owner Carlo D’Attanasio and locals Dominic Terupo, Morgan Mogu and Shane Dikana.