New South Wales

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.

The pilot was to conduct a charter with passengers from Sydney to Wollongong, Nowra, Canberra and return to Sydney, departing Sydney at about 10.00am. Earlier that morning he positioned the aircraft at Sydney and had it refuelled. When the passengers arrived he explained that the weather in the various destinations was very poor and that there was a possibility they may not be able to land. However, he was prepared to give it a try. As the passengers were pressed for time, they could not afford to take a chance with the weather and so they decided to drive. They told the pilot that if he could land at Wollongong later that day they would continue the flight with him. However, they impressed on him that there was no pressure for him to depart immediately as they would not be in Wollongong for several hours. After driving for a short time, the passengers decided that the weather did not appear as if it would improve, and believed that it would be better to complete the journey by car. They contacted the charter company by phone to cancel the charter, but the pilot had already departed. The flight to Wollongong appears to have proceeded normally where the pilot reported commencing an NDB approach, and would call again at a specified time. This was the last message received from the pilot. Witnesses on the ground at Wollongong, and on a yacht 20 nautical miles to the east of Wollongong reported hearing an aircraft flying at approximately 1000 to 2000 feet in the low cloud and rain. There were no other known aircraft in the area. Later that day a helicopter discovered wreckage debris in the sea, which was confirmed as being from the aircraft. The search was discontinued due to very poor weather and visibility, and cancelled two weeks later when further efforts failed to locate any trace of the aircraft.

The aircraft had been modified by the installation of an air driven winch for the purpose of towing gunnery targets and was operating in conjunction with a warship for scheduled sea/air gunnery practise. Weather conditions in the area were reported as overcast at 4000 feet, wind 060 degrees / 15-20 knots and visibility of 15-20 kilometres. At about 1717 hours the aircraft was instructed to commence carrying out gunnery tracking runs at an altitude of 1000 feet with the sleeve target not deployed. Between 1720 and 1735 hours the aircraft carried out two such runs from the west and east. The aircraft then tracked to the south, away from the ship, to a distance of about 10 kilometres. At about 1738 the aircraft was instructed to turn inbound for a run from astern. At about 1739 hours the pilot reported engine problems and about one minute later advised "I've got problems, Mayday, I'm going in". Crewmen stationed near the stern of the ship, reported seeing the aircraft dive into the sea. The warship was immediately turned back towards the crash position. Other warships and aircraft were also ordered to the crash position. The only wreckage sighted was at the crash datum and was believed to have been a section of wing. This wreckage was located about two metres below the surface and sank before it could be recovered. The approximate depth of water at the crash position is 450 fathoms. No trace of the aircraft or its occupants has been discovered to date.

The pilot had been conducting superphosphate spreading operations in the area two days prior to the accident and had completed approximately 60 trips during that operation. On the morning of the accident, he had just completed the sixth load when the outboard section of the right wing struck powerlines. The right wing was torn from its attachment points and separated from the aircraft. The aircraft then impacted the ground in a steep nose down attitude and came to rest 169 metres from the powerlines.

The pilot was conducting superphosphate spreading operations in fine and clear weather conditions. The paddock being treated sloped uphill, and there were heavily timbered peaks beyond the paddock. The pilot had spread the paddock the previous day under similar conditions. On this occasion the aircraft was apparently performing normally as the first swath run was completed, but the aircraft did not appear to gain any appreciable height as it approached the hills. It was then seen to adopt a steep nose-up attitude and commence a wingover type manoeuvre. During this manoeuvre the aircraft struck trees and then impacted the ground. A fierce fire broke out and engulfed the wreckage. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The aircraft was operating a scheduled service from Brisbane to Port Macquarie with planned intermediate stops at Coolangatta and Coffs Harbour. Weather conditions over the route were influenced by a widespread unstable airmass. The terminal forecast for Coffs Harbour indicated a surface wind of 360/15, visibility in excess of 10 km, 5 octas stratus at 1000 ft, 5 octas cumulus at 2000 ft. Thunderstorms, associated with visibility reduced to 2000 metres were also forecast for periods of up to 30 minutes. The actual weather conditions at Coffs Harbour were generally consistent with the terminal forecast. Runway 03 was in use throughout the evening. Coffs Harbour airport was equipped with NDB, VOR and domestic DME radio navigation aids. A VOR/DME procedure was published for runway 03 approaches. For aircraft not equipped with DME, a VOR or NDB approach was available using common tracking and minimum altitude criteria. Runway 03 was also equipped with a 6 stage T-VASIS and 3 stage runway lighting. All facilities were reported as functioning normally, with the exception of the VOR which was experiencing intermittent power failures due to the effects of heavy rain. The VOR was able to be reset manually from the Coffs Harbour control tower. Although the tower was scheduled to be unmanned before the arrival of VH-HOX, the duty air traffic controller elected to man the tower until the aircraft had landed. The controller also called out a technician to attend to the VOR. The aircraft was equipped with dual ILS/VOR and ADF receivers, plus International DME. Domestic DME equipment was not fitted to the aircraft, although required by ANO 20.8. After descending in the VOR/NDB holding pattern, the aircraft was cleared for an instrument approach. The pilot had been told of the intermittent operation of the VOR and had said he would revert to the NDB. At that time the weather conditions were fluctuating about the circling minima of 950 feet (QNH) and five km visibility. The controller advised the aircraft of a heavy shower to the south of the field. The aircraft subsequently completed the approach and the pilot reported "visual". The controller said he saw the lights of the aircraft in a position consistent with a right downwind leg for a landing on runway 03. The aircraft was then cleared to land. Shortly after, the controller saw the lights of the aircraft disappear briefly, consistent with the aircraft passing through a localised area of rain/cloud. The lights then reappeared briefly, as though the aircraft was turning onto finals, before disappearing. This was immediately followed by short series of "clicks" on the tower frequency. The aircraft was called immediately but failed to respond to any calls. The accident site was located about 1070 metres short of the landing threshold, and about 750 metres to the right of the extended runway centreline. The aircraft was found to have initially struck a nine metre high tree in a nose low attitude, steeply banked to the right, on a track of 050 degrees. After striking the tree with the outboard section of the right wing, the aircraft struck other trees before hitting the ground and overturning. A fire broke out shortly after the aircraft came to rest. As a result of his remaining on duty, the controller was able to provide immediate notification of the accident to the emergency services. This action facilitated the rescue of survivors.

The pilot was conducting a freight charter flight, and witness evidence confirmed that on DEPARTURE he was occupying the left-hand seat. The pilot was accompanied by a friend who was also a commercial pilot, but not endorsed on this type of aircraft. Approximately 18 minutes prior to the estimated time of arrival at the destination, the pilot reported leaving the cruising altitude of 6500 feet on descent. Several minutes after the descent report had been made, a witness about 50 kilometres from the destination reported seeing the aircraft pull-up into a very steep climb from an extremely low height with its wings level, and then become inverted. It then entered what was described by the witness as a spin or spiral dive, before impacting the ground in a near vertical descent. The pilot was found in the right-hand seat, and the passenger had been thrown clear of the wreckage. It was established that neither seat belt had been fastened at the time of the impact. Although it could not be determined which pilot was flying the aircraft at the time of the pull-up, medical evidence suggested that the pilot occupying the right-hand seat position was handling the controls at the time of ground impact. The weather at the time of the accident was fine and clear, with 10-15 knot winds.

Superphosphate spreading was being carried out, with the aircraft uplifting one tonne loads about every 6 minutes. Fuel endurance with both tanks full was approximately 2 hours. The pilot was conducting his 25th takeoff for the day, about one hour after refuelling. Witnesses observed that the aircraft did not become airborne at the usual point, two-thirds of the way along the 675 metre strip. Lift-off finally occurred at the end of the strip, but almost immediately afterwards the aircraft clipped a fence. It was seen to sink slightly, before climbing at a steeper than normal angle until some 250 metres beyond the fence. At this point the nose dropped suddenly and the aircraft dived into rising ground in a steep nose down attitude. Fire broke out on impact and consumed much of the wreckage. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The crew was completing a local training flight at Camden Airport. On final approach, the pilot-in-command initiated a go-around when the aircraft stalled and crashed. There were no casualties while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

When the aircraft arrived in the destination area, another aircraft was also in the circuit. The pilots were in communication with each other, and arranged that VH-CUO would land after the other aircraft. However, the pilot of VH-CUO apparently misjudged the relative speeds of the two aircraft. He initiated a go-around from a position on final approach to runway 15, when there was evidently insufficient separation with the preceding aircraft to allow a normal landing. The aircraft remained at a low height above the ground, and the pilot broadcast a message that he intended to land in the opposite direction, on runway 33. The wind at the time was from the south-east at about 10 knots. Witnesses observed the aircraft as it tracked along the western side of the runway. The turn onto base leg was made at an angle of bank of about 60 degrees, and about three-quarters of the way around the turn, the nose of the aircraft dropped rapidly. The aircraft then dived steeply to the ground, and was destroyed by the impact and subsequent fire.