On a seemingly regular day in Singapore, a 68-year-old man named Ng Tchi Mun found himself in a bit of a pickle after crashing his model aircraft into a tennis court at Methodist Girls’ School (MGS). The incident took place on Aug 20, 2023, when Ng was flying his Hanger 9 Pulse 125 remote-controlled plane with a friend in an open field along Old Holland Road. Little did he know that his joyride would end up costing him a hefty fine of S$7,000 (US$5,400).
The Trouble Begins:
As Ng attempted to navigate his aircraft back to the open field due to the increasing strength of the wind, he miscalculated the distance from MGS. The unmanned aircraft, weighing 3.7kg, was soon out of control and ended up crashing into an open-air tennis court at MGS. The impact not only shattered the aircraft but also caused damage to the tennis court, leaving parts of the surface scratched and cratered. Imagine the shock of Mr. Oh Boon Kwee, a tennis coach at MGS, who narrowly escaped being hit by the crashing aircraft as he walked on the court.
The Fallout:
Oh, who was about to conduct a private tennis class at the school’s sports complex, was understandably shaken by the incident. After regaining his composure, he reported the incident to the school’s facilities manager and then contacted the police. Ng, owning up to his mistake, agreed to pay the repair cost of S$410.40. The school began repairs on Dec 1, 2023, as part of its facilities refurbishment plan, with Ng making the payment to the contractor on Jan 1, 2024. However, the story took an unexpected turn when the contractor returned the payment to Ng on Jan 9, 2025.
The Aftermath:
Investigations revealed that Ng was well aware of the risks involved in flying his aircraft too close to MGS. He even admitted to discussing the issue with his hobby group friends and setting a rule to turn their RC planes at a safe distance of at least 150m away from the school to avoid such mishaps. Despite his precautions, Ng’s recklessness still led to the crash, causing damage to the school’s property and potentially endangering nearby residential homes. The prosecution sought a fine ranging from S$10,000 to S$15,000, emphasizing the seriousness of the offence and the potential harm caused by Ng’s actions. Now, Ng has until May 26 to pay the imposed fine, learning a costly lesson about flying drones in close proximity to schools.
So there you have it, folks! Ng Tchi Mun’s misadventure with his model aircraft serves as a cautionary tale for all drone enthusiasts out there. Remember, safety first, always check your surroundings, and never underestimate the power of the wind when operating unmanned aircraft. And who knows, maybe this incident will inspire Ng to take up a new hobby that doesn’t involve crashing into tennis courts. Just kidding! But seriously, let’s all be more mindful of where we fly our drones to prevent any more unnecessary mishaps.
