On 2009-11-22 17:37:16 -0800, (Ray Fischer) said:

RichA wrote:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/re...ssage=33770272

At least the bullets aren't made out of plastic, right?

Gee. A company that makes hunting scopes sponsors gasp hunting! Of
course, we all know that the photographs on the original
anti-hunting/anti-Nikon web site are real, depict that actual event,
and are unretouched, right?

And now, for the lighter side of predator hunting, I bring you this
actual NTSB report, just in case you think the hunters always win:

SEA02LA058
On March 25, 2002, about 0720 mountain standard time, a Piper
PA-18-150, N22EV, sustained substantial damage after colliding with
terrain near Fort Peck, Montana. The airplane is owned by the pilot,
and was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) flight under the
provisions of Title 14, CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot-in-command
and passenger sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological
conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.

The pilot was
conducting a predator (coyote) control flight over private rangeland
near Fort Peck. During the flight, at a reported altitude of
approximately 40 feet above ground level (AGL), the passenger
inadvertently discharged a semiautomatic 12-gauge shotgun. The pilot,
who was seated in the forward seat, reported that the gun fired 3-4
times, striking the right wing, fuel tank and aileron assembly. He
reported that the damage resulted in a loss of aileron and elevator
control. The airplane entered a descending turn to the right and
subsequently impacted terrain in a nose-low attitude. The pilot
reported the aircraft was on fire upon touchdown and continued to burn
after the impact. 

The pilot reported that there were no preexisting
mechanical malfunctions or failures that contributed to the accident. 


--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor