Collision with terrain involving Beechcraft B200C, VH-PUY, near Normanton Airport, Queensland, on 6 February 2026

This preliminary report details factual information established in the investigation’s early evidence collection phase, and has been prepared to provide timely information to the industry and public. Preliminary reports contain no analysis or findings, which will be detailed in the investigation’s final report. The information contained in this preliminary report is released in accordance with section 25 of the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003. 

The occurrence

On the afternoon of 6 February 2026, the pilot of a Beechcraft B200C, registered VH‑PUY and operated by Machjet International, planned to conduct a ferry flight[1] from Cairns to Normanton, followed by a return passenger transport flight[2] from Normanton to Doomadgee, then ferry the aircraft back to Cairns (all locations in Queensland). The flights were conducted under the instrument flight rules (IFR),[3] using callsign Machflight 313.

The aircraft took off from Cairns Airport at about 1318 local time and arrived at Normanton Airport at 1431. At 1455, the aircraft took off from runway 32 at Normanton Airport, with the pilot and 4 passengers on board, arriving at Doomadgee Airport at 1532. The aircraft then departed Doomadgee at 1853, and landed on runway 14 at Normanton Airport at 1932, where the pilot shut down the aircraft and the passengers disembarked.

At 1945:47, the pilot radioed Brisbane Centre air traffic control[4] and advised they were taxiing at Normanton for Cairns on runway 32. The controller responded that there was no reported IFR traffic and issued the pilot a transponder code. The controller then confirmed that the pilot was aware of the significant weather advisory (SIGMET)[5] ‘V03’, which was for frequent thunderstorms in an area that included Normanton Airport (see the section titled Meteorological conditions).

As the pilot had activated the airport lighting during approach, at 1947, a recorded message on the aerodrome frequency response unit was broadcast on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF)[6]: ‘Normanton airport airfield lighting 10 minutes remaining’.

At 1948, the pilot broadcast on the CTAF that they were ‘entering and backtracking runway 14’. There were no further recorded transmissions from the pilot. The aircraft then entered and backtracked runway 32.

Based on recorded ADS-B[7] data, the aircraft commenced take-off from runway 32 at 1950. The aircraft accelerated and climbed to a maximum height of about 150 ft above ground level prior to entering a descent (Figure 1).

Figure 1: ADS-B data path of VH-PUY

Source: Google Earth, annotated by the ATSB

The aircraft impacted a small tree, 360 m from the end of the runway, prior to impacting the ground in a wings-level attitude. Following the ground impact, the aircraft slid beneath powerlines and while there was no indication that the aircraft struck the wires, it triggered a local power outage. While sliding along the ground, the aircraft commenced a gradual right yaw,[8] impacting trees and breaking up in the process before coming to rest in flood water 580 m beyond the end of the runway. 

At 1951:28, the final ADS-B position transmitted from the aircraft indicated that it:

• was 370 m beyond the end of runway 32 (after the initial impact with the tree)
• had a ground speed of 162 kt
• had descended from the previous transmitted position to that point at 1,100 fpm.

The pilot was fatally injured. A post-impact fire ensued and the aircraft was destroyed.

Context

Pilot information 

The pilot held a Commercial Pilot Licence (Aeroplane), a class 1 aviation medical certificate, a command instrument rating and the appropriate endorsements and ratings for the aircraft. The pilot had accrued 1,721 hours total flight time, 381 of which were on the B200 aircraft type. The pilot had completed 191 hours on the aircraft type in the last 90 days, with 116 of those hours as pilot in command.

Aircraft information

VH-PUY was a Beechcraft B200C twin-engine turboprop aircraft, manufactured in the United States in 1981 as serial number BL 41, and first registered in Australia in 1987. The aircraft had retractable landing gear, a pressurised cabin and a T-tail horizontal stabiliser. It was powered by 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-42 engines and Hartzell HC-D4N-3A propellers. The aircraft avionics suite included Garmin G600 electronic flight instruments. According to the maintenance release, at the start of the day’s flying on 6 February 2026, the aircraft had accumulated a total time of 23,708.4 hours in service. There were no outstanding defects documented on the maintenance release.

Meteorological conditions

Area forecast 

The Bureau of Meteorology grid point wind and temperature forecast, issued at 1604 and valid from 1900 on 6 February at 1,000 ft above mean sea level (AMSL) in the area including Normanton, was wind from 050° at 8 kt and temperature of 27°C.

The graphical area forecast (cloud heights AMSL) issued at 1421 and valid from 1500 to 2100 included the following information:

• visibility greater than 10 km and cloud:[9]
  • broken stratocumulus with bases at 1,500 ft and tops at 3,000 ft over land from 1900
  • broken cumulus/stratocumulus with bases at 3,000 ft and tops above 10,000 ft.
• visibility reducing to 2,000 m in isolated to scattered showers of rain associated with:
  • isolated[10] towering cumulus with bases at 3,000 ft and tops above 10,000 ft
  • broken stratus with bases 800 ft and tops 3,000 ft
  • broken cumulus/stratocumulus with bases at 3,000 ft and tops above 10,000 ft.
• visibility reducing to 1,000 m in isolated to occasional[11] thunderstorms with rain associated with:
  • isolated cumulonimbus with bases at 3,000 ft and tops above 10,000 ft
  • broken stratus with bases at 600 ft and tops at 3,000 ft. 

The forecast also included SIGMET V02 valid from 1730–1930, for frequent[12] thunderstorms with tops at flight level 550 moving south-west at 15 kt in a region that included Normanton. 

That SIGMET was reissued at 1852 as SIGMET V03, valid from 1930–2130 with no change in detail from V02. 

Aerodrome forecast

The aerodrome forecast[13] (all cloud heights above the aerodrome elevation of 73 ft) for Normanton issued at 1630 and valid from 1800 to 0600 (on 7 February) included the following information relevant to the accident flight:

• Wind from 350° at 8 kt, visibility greater than 10 km, light showers of rain and scattered cloud at 3,000 ft.
• A probability for periods up to 60 minutes between 1800 and 0300 (on 7 February) of:
  • variable winds at 20 kt gusting to 30 kt
  • visibility 1,000 m in thunderstorms and rain
  • broken cloud at 800 ft and scattered cumulonimbus clouds with bases at 3,000 ft.
• From 1800–2100, temperature 30°C and QNH[14] 1,008 hPa.

Aerodrome weather observations 

Weather observations (all cloud heights above aerodrome elevation) at Normanton Airport between 1900 and 1956 included the following routine weather reports (METAR)[15] and special reports (SPECI)[16].

• METAR at 1900: wind from 360° at 4 kt, visibility greater than 10 km, light showers of rain. Cloud broken at 6,200 ft, broken cloud at 7,400 ft, overcast at 8,200 ft. Temperature 31°C, dewpoint 26°C, QNH 1,010 hPa. No rain in the last 10 minutes, 0.2 mm since 0900 local time. Distant lightning detected to the north.
• METAR at 1930: wind from 360° at 5 kt, visibility greater than 10 km, scattered cloud at 6,700 ft, broken cloud at 7,900 ft, overcast at 9,300 ft. Temperature 31°C, dewpoint 26°C, QNH 1,011 hPa. No rain in the last 10 minutes, 0.2 mm since 0900 local time. Distant lightning detected to the north-east, east, south-east and north-west.   
• SPECI at 1940: wind from 350° at 19 kt, visibility greater than 10 km, few cloud at 1,800 ft, scattered cloud at 4,700 ft, broken cloud at 6,700 ft. Temperature 27°C, dewpoint 22°C, QNH 1,011 hPa. No rain in the last 10 minutes, 0.2 mm since 0900 local time. Distant lightning detected in the north, north-east, east, south-east and north-west.
• SPECI at 1952: wind from 020° at 16 kt gusting to 26 kt, visibility 7,000 m, thunderstorms in the vicinity, light showers of rain with scattered cloud at 800 ft, broken at 2,000 ft, broken at 4,800 ft. Temperature 25°C, dewpoint 24°C, QNH 1,012 hPa. 0.4 mm of rain in the last 10 minutes, 0.6 mm total rainfall since 0900 local time. Thunderstorms to the north and north-east.
• SPECI at 1956: wind from 030° at 15 kt gusting to 25 kt, visibility 5,000 m and thunderstorms in the vicinity. Temperature 25°C, dewpoint 24°C, QNH 1,013 hPa. 0.4 mm of rain in the last 10 minutes, 0.6 mm total rainfall since 0900 local time. Thunderstorms to the north and north-east.

Figure 2 shows the Bureau of Meteorology weather radar, 2 minutes prior to the accident, with light to moderate rain rate detected to the north-west of Normanton.

Figure 2: Radar imagery 2 minutes prior to the accident

Source: Bureau of Meteorology, annotated by the ATSB

Table 1 shows the one-minute weather data from the automatic weather station at Normanton Airport from when the aircraft landed at 1932 to 2010. The data shows that when the aircraft landed at Normanton, the wind was northerly at 5 kt, gusting to 6 kt. As the pilot prepared the aircraft and taxied out, the wind veered to the east-north-east and increased in average and gust speed. The maximum wind speed and gust occurred at 1941. By 2009, the wind average and gust speeds had reduced below 10 kt. 

Table 1: One-minute weather data, Normanton Airport

Briefing package

The pilot’s briefing package included the forecast weather, aerodrome weather reports for Normanton and Cairns at 1730 local time and the relevant SIGMETs, consistent with that detailed above. 

Sunset times

On 6 February 2026 at Normanton, daylight was from 0625–1913 and civil twilight[17] was 1913–1936. The moon rose at 2205.   

Site and wreckage examination

The wreckage trail commenced at an impact mark at the top of a small tree to the left of an extended runway centreline, 360 m from the end of the runway (Figure 3). Propeller slash marks were evident on another tree approximately 20 m after the initial tree impact, followed by evidence of the aircraft fuselage’s impact with the ground. 

The left and right wing tips were located embedded in trees on either side of the wreckage trail, 60 m from the initial tree impact. Browning of vegetation commenced from this point onwards in the direction of travel, indicating rupturing of the wing fuel tanks. From there, the aircraft slid, underneath a set of powerlines, with a gradual right yaw that continued until its final resting place. There was no evidence of landing gear marks anywhere in the wreckage trail, indicating that all landing gear was in the ‘up and locked’ position.

The main fuselage was located in an upright position with the empennage fractured at the base of the vertical stabiliser (T-tail), which was lying on its right side. The cockpit had separated from the aircraft at the rear of the pilot’s seat and was resting on its left side, partially submerged in water. The left wing and both engines had separated from the aircraft during the accident sequence. The fuselage, cockpit and right wing were heavily damaged from a post‑impact fire.

Impact damage to the engine propellers indicated they were being driven by the engine during the impact sequence. All flight controls were located with the aircraft and measurements were taken of the flap, rudder trim and elevator trim actuators for further analysis.

Figure 3: Wreckage trail of VH-PUY 

Source: ATSB

Further investigation

To date, the ATSB has:

• inspected the wreckage
• recovered and retained equipment, including the cockpit voice recorder, for further examination
• collected operational and aircraft records from the aircraft operator and Civil Aviation Safety Authority
• collected air traffic control and airport data
• collected electronic flight bag data
• interviewed witnesses and company pilots
• collected weather data.

The investigation is continuing and will include:

• further interviews
• analysis of witness videos, photographs, airport data and interviews
• review of operational information
• analysis of data from air traffic control, the Bureau of Meteorology and equipment recovered from the aircraft.

A final report will be released at the conclusion of the investigation. Should a critical safety issue be identified during the course of the investigation, the ATSB will immediately notify relevant parties so appropriate and timely safety action can be taken. 

Acknowledgements

The ATSB acknowledges the assistance provided by the Queensland Police Service and Carpentaria Shire Council.

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