Collision with terrain, Uaroo Station, Pilbara, Western Australia, Cessna 172M, VH-TCS

At about 0730 Western Daylight-saving Time, on 17 November 2007, the wreckage of a Cessna Aircraft Company C172M aircraft, registered VH-TCS, was discovered on the side of a hill, at Uaroo Station, in the Pilbara region of WA, about 500 m from the property air strip. The aircraft had been destroyed by impact forces and a post-impact fire. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, had been fatally injured.

Information obtained from persons that knew the pilot indicated that he had most likely taken off from the airstrip during the morning of 16 November 2007, however, the actual time of the take-off could not be determined. There were no reported witnesses to the take-off, any subsequent flight, or the accident. Tyre marks made by the aircraft indicated that the aircraft had taken off from runway 27 to the west.

There was no evidence of an engine or aircraft system problem which could have contributed to the accident. There was no evidence that the pilot had a pre-existing physiological condition that could have contributed to the accident. The aircraft manufacturer's tabulated take-off data showed that the aircraft should have had sufficient performance to take-off from runway 27 and climb clear of terrain.

There is evidence to indicate the possibility of adverse meteorological phenomena such as strong wind gusts and willy-willies in the area on the days before, during and subsequent to the accident. The willy-willies were reported to be difficult to see, form and dissipate rapidly, and travel in the same direction as the prevailing wind.

While the reason that the aircraft impacted terrain could not be conclusively determined, it is probable that the aircraft encountered adverse meteorological phenomena such as strong wind gusts and willy-willies, after take-off from runway 27.