Australia

Crashed on approach in foggy conditions while performing a cargo flight from Bankstown with bank notes on board. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Beech E90 VH-LFH was being flown by the owner as pilot-in-command for the flight. The pilot had submitted a flight plan nominating a private category, single pilot, instrument flight rules (IFR) flight, from Cairns to Wondai and thence to Camden. VH-LFH, with six passengers on board, departed Cairns at 1830 hours EST and arrived at Wondai at 2142 hours after an uneventful flight. One passenger left the aircraft at Wondai. The aircraft was refuelled with 800 litres of aviation turbine fuel and the pilot reported taxying for Runway 36 at Wondai to Brisbane Flight Service at 2243 hours EST. The aircraft was issued an airways clearance at 2245 hours which the pilot acknowledged correctly. The last radio contact with the aircraft was at 2248 hours when the pilot reported airborne. Witnesses observed the aircraft take-off and a short time later heard the sound of impact. The aircraft struck a line of small trees slightly left of the runway extended centreline and 600 metres from the end of the runway in a wings level attitude and in a very shallow descent. Forty-eight metres beyond this point, the aircraft impacted the ground and began to break up. It then contacted a number of large trees and caught fire, finally coming to rest 90 metres further on. A passenger was seriously injured while five other occupants were killed.

Crashed in unknown circumstances in an open field located in Goombungee while engaged in a training flight. The pilot, sole on board, escaped with minor injuries.

Cessna 500 VH-ANQ was operating the Proserpine to Mareeba leg of a charter flight The aircraft departed Proserpine at 16:35 hours. The charter flight had been organised to transport members of five local government authorities from the Cairns/Atherton Tablelands area to a Local Government Association Conference at Airlie Beach, Queensland. The flight plan indicated that the flight would follow Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) with a planned cruising altitude of FL330. The aircraft was planned to track via overhead Townsville then direct to Mareeba with a flight time interval of 68 minutes. The flight apparently continued normally and at 17:26 the aircraft was cleared to descend to FL170 and instructed to call Cairns Approach. On first contact with Cairns Approach, the pilot advised that the aircraft was tracking for Mareeba via the 163 radial at 41 miles (76 kilometres) DME from Biboohra. (There are no radio navigational aids at Mareeba, the nearest aids for tracking and instrument approach purposes are at Biboohra, about 16 kilometres north of Mareeba). The aircraft was advised to maintain FL170 but a short time later was cleared to descend to FL120. The pilot stated that he would not be closing down the engines at Mareeba and that his estimated departure time was 17:50. At 17:35 hours VH-ANQ was cleared to descend to 10,000 feet and one minute later the pilot advised that the aircraft was "approaching over Mareeba and visual". Cairns Approach advised VH-ANQ that there would be a short delay at 10,000 feet and following a request from the pilot gave approval for the aircraft to circle over Mareeba. At 17:40 hours, Cairns Approach instructed the aircraft to descend to 7,000 feet. This transmission, and other subsequent transmissions to the aircraft, went unanswered. The wreckage of VH-ANQ was ultimately located on the eastern slopes of Mt Emerald, 15 kilometres south of Mareeba Airport, by searching helicopters at 0240 hours on 12 May 1990. The aircraft initially impacted the mountainside with the left wingtip, while travelling on a track of about 340 degrees Magnetic. At the time it was in a wings level attitude at an angle of descent of eight degrees. It then struck the ground just below the apex of a ridge and the wreckage spread in a fan shape, at an angle of 30 degrees, along a centreline track of 350 degrees Magnetic.

The aircraft was being used for a pleasure flight for the owner and some friends. The Captain calculated the landing distances required for both runway 28 and 10, based on weather reports obtained at briefing, which indicated a strong northerly wind component. An updated report received some 30 minutes before descent confirmed the wind as 290 degrees at 7 knots. Approaching the island and becoming visual, the crew noted the windsock near the western end of the runway to be indicating a slight headwind component in the 10 direction and decided on a straight in approach to runway 10, to avoid an approaching squall/shower. The aircraft touched down firmly a short distance beyond the threshold. Speed brakes were immediately extended and wheel braking applied. About four seconds later the Captain called for the drag chute to be deployed. Although the co-pilot correctly activated the handle, it became obvious that the chute had not deployed as no increase in retardation occurred. When the Captain realised that the aircraft could not be stopped on the runway remaining he attempted to turn the aircraft towards a clear grass area to the right. However, the aircraft was aquaplaning on the wet surface and did not respond to steering inputs for some distance. The aircraft left the bitumen tracking to the right. It collided with a gable marker, passed through a fence, continued down an embankment, across a road, through a second fence and came to rest approximately 90 metres from the runway end and 70 metres to the right of the extended centreline. The left main and nose gear legs were torn off. Witnesses to the accident said that when the aircraft landed, the runway was very wet and the wind was westerly at 5 to 10 knots.

On completion of temporary repairs following a forced landing accident in a paddock, a permit to fly was issued authorising a ferry flight from the accident site to a nearby strip. During the take off roll the pilot was unable to maintain directional control and the aircraft crossed a drain before striking a fence and overturning. An inspection of the aircraft did not reveal any defect which could have contributed to the loss of directional control. Following the landing accident the property owner had rotary-hoed the paddock to a depth of 10 centimetres. Using a motor vehicle, the pilot compacted a 2.5 metre wide strip along the centreline of the paddock, which sloped approximately 3 degrees down to the north. At the time of the takeoff to the north the wind was from the north-east at 5 knots. The pilot selected a takeoff power setting of 53 percent of the maximum power available which effectively increased the take off ground roll required by approximately 170 metres.

The pilot, sole on board, was completing a local training flight at Edinburgh AFB. On approach, the tail separated and the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed near the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot F/Lt Glenn Kemshall Donovan was killed.

The aircraft had been chartered for a flight from Perth to Port Hedland. The pilot arrived at the aircraft at 2210 hours on 25 January, and after a short inspection of the aircraft, attended the CAA flight planning office for air traffic control and meteorology briefing. The briefing included information about a tropical cyclone off the NW coast of Australia and its potential effects on the proposed flight. After the flight plan was submitted, the pilot returned to the aircraft at 2315 hours as the loading was being completed, and conducted a preflight inspection of the aircraft and its load. The aircraft departed Perth at 2339 and commenced a climb towards Ballidu, the first turning point, over which it passed at 0003 hours. Subsequently, the aircraft passed over Mt Singleton at 0020, Mt Magnet at 0040 and Meekatharra at 0102 hours. After Ballidu, the aircraft climbed from FL170 to FL190 and climbed further to FL210 after Mt Magnet. While over Meekatharra, the passenger (also a licenced pilot) gave the position report. One minute later, the pilot radioed that the aircraft was out of control and descending. He called again 30 seconds later and advised that the aircraft was in ice and spinning down through 8,000 feet. No further communications were received from the aircraft. Both occupants were killed.

The aircraft was engaged in superphosphate spreading operations. An aerial survey of the property had been conducted by the pilot in company with the property owner. Power poles in the valley ahead and to the left of the airstrip were marked. When operations started the wind was a light north-easterly and ambient temperature was 16° Celsius. By the time the aircraft had refuelled and was ready for the thirty-sixth flight of the day, the ambient temperature had increased to 28° Celsius and the wind direction had changed to a south-westerly. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft was observed to sink after overflying the high-voltage power lines between the marked poles. On the next flight the aircraft was observed to make a tight left turn and fly down the valley adjacent to the left marked powerpole. On the next and final flight, the aircraft was apparently attempting to follow the track of the previous flight. While crossing the power lines south-west of the marked power pole, the aircraft's landing gear and left wing tip struck the powerlines. With the broken powerline jammed behind the left aileron washout plate, the aircraft impacted the ground 100 metres beyond the powerpole. Ground impact forces destroyed the aircraft and reduced the cockpit area to non-survivable dimensions.

When the survey aircraft failed to arrive at the destination, and on expiry of the SAR time, a search was commenced. Wreckage of the aircraft was subsequently found on the eastern slope of Mt Barren Jack, to the north west of the mouth of Carrolls Creek, and on the planned track for the survey operation. Observers at the Burrinjuck reservoir near the mouth of Carrolls Creek described the weather in the accident area at the time as black clouds spilling over and obscuring the mountain tops. The aircraft collided with trees on the side of the mountain, while banked steeply to the right and in a tail low attitude. The pilot was thrown from the aircraft during the impact sequence. Medical opinion held that there was no evidence of body trauma consistent with the seat belt being fastened at the time of impact. The flight was completed on behalf of the Bureau of Mineral Resources (BMR) and both occupants were killed.