Operational event involving a Mooney M20F, VH-SXF, Parafield Aerodrome, South Australia, on 11 October 1997

The owner pilot was conducting a private flight from Coober Pedy to Parafield, to have a 50 hourly inspection conducted on his aircraft. He was accompanied on the flight by his wife and three children aged under nine.

The pilot was making an approach to land on runway 26 right at Parafield in strong gusty wind conditions. During the flare prior to touch down, the aircraft "ballooned". The pilot applied power to recover the situation, however, the right wing dropped. The pilot estimated the bank angle reached approximately 70 degrees. The pilot recovered the wing drop with rudder and aileron only to have the left wing descend quickly. Power was again applied to cushion the ground contact, however, the right-wing tip touch the ground and dragged for approximately 90 m. The pilot attempted to recover the dropped wing, but the aircraft ground looped, departed the runway and came to rest in a drainage ditch north of the flight strip. The pilot and passengers evacuated the aircraft without injury.