Date & Time:
Jan 5, 1982 at 1201 LT
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 411
Operator:
Reprographics
Registration:
VH-AYE
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Brisbane - Brisbane
MSN:
411-0288
YOM:
1969
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
4
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total hours on type:
302
Aircraft flight hours:
4500
Circumstances:
At 1201 EST, shortly after taking off from Runway 10L at Archerfield Airport, the airplane crashed into an annex attached to a Thiess Contractors workshop located in Kerry Road, Archerfield. The accident site was 455 metres east-north-east from the departure end of the runway. The pilot and four workmen taking their lunch break in the annex were killed. The aircraft and the annex were destroyed by impact forces and the following explosion and fire. The accident occurred during a test flight following corrective maintenance. The aircraft had completed a periodic inspection on 23 December 1981 but, during the next 10 days, a problem was experienced with the control of the left hand propeller. Following maintenance on 4 January to rectify the problem, the pilot elected to test fly the aircraft prior to its intended use for endorsement training at 1500 hours on the day of the accident.
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident was that following a reduction of power from the left engine, the pilot failed to maintain flying speed. The cause of the reduction of power was not determined. The accident may have been avoided if the pilot had employed the correct procedures following a reduction of power from the left hand engine.
Final Report:
VH-AYE.pdf9.61 MB
