Collision with terrain involving a Cessna 172M, VH-WTL, Elrose Station, Queensland, on 19 March 1997

The pilot reported that the strip had received heavy rain during the previous week and that only 680 m of the 1,000 m length was usable for operations. The centre of the strip was dry, but the edges were soft with water standing in the table drains at the side. The pilot said that the take-off run was normal until lift off when the aircraft lost 15 kts of airspeed as the right main wheel ran through a soft patch.

As result, the climb out was slow and shallow, and the aircraft veered to the right of the strip. The pilot was unable to avoid trees about 100 m to the right of the strip. The left wing struck foliage, but the pilot was able to keep the aircraft airborne. After landing the aircraft to assess the damage, the pilot found that the leading edge of the left wing was damaged.