Summary
Whlie the aircraft was in flight at some 3000 feet above the Hawkesbury River, the VHF communications radio
failed. After a few moments the pilot was aware of a smell of burning and he switched off the radio. Shortly
after the radio was switched off, pungent smoke originating from the area of the radio installation under the
instrument panel began to enter the cockpit and the pilot was compelled to open the canopy. He decided to land
immediately and commenced an approach to a fairway on the nearby golf course. The approach was high and
fast and the aircraft overshot the fairway. The pilot lowered full flap at approximately 90 knots and after
crossing a line of trees proceeded to land on another fairway. Prior to touchdown he turned off the ignition,
fuel and master switch and warned his passenger to leave the aircraft as soon as it stopped. When on short
final the pilot noticed some golfers near the far end of the fairway and he applied full brake and full right rudder
before touching down. The aircraft made contact with the ground initially on the right wing tip, bouncing on to
the main wheels and nose before falling back on to the main undercarriage and tail wheel. The total ground run
was 180 feet. Subsequent bench testing of VHF radio equipment revealed that in the circumstances of the filter
capacitor breaking down, the overheating of the filter inductor produced smoke from the insulating substance.
