Wirestrike, Nelson, Victoria, on 24 December 2006, VH-ALO, Auster Aircraft Co. J1/A1

Preliminary report released 8 February 2007

On 24 December 2006, the owner-pilot of an Auster Aircraft Company J1/A1 aircraft, registered VH-ALO, was intending to ferry the aircraft from a private airstrip at Nelson, Vic, to Akuna station S.A. The pilot was the sole occupant. At approximately 0930 Eastern Daylight-saving Time, the pilot commenced a take-off towards the west. Three people were standing between two hangars that were to the north of the airstrip, and they observed that the aircraft became airborne before it reached the taxiway leading from the hangars to the runway. When the aircraft was adjacent to the taxiway, it made a low-level right turn towards the hangars.

One witness, who was an experienced pilot, reported that the aircraft climbed suddenly just prior to striking a power line that was located on the airstrip side of the hangars. The aircraft then drifted over open space between the two hangers on a northerly heading; the left wing was seen to drop and the aircraft impacted the ground almost vertically. The pilot was fatally injured.