Collision with terrain involving a Piper PA-36-375, VH-JJO, 19 km north-north-east of Moree Aerodrome, New South Wales, on 4 April 1997

The aircraft was involved in a cotton spraying operation. The pilot reported that on the tenth take-off the aircraft failed to accelerate to normal climb speed, only reaching a height of about 15 ft. He dumped the load but was unable to prevent the aircraft descending into the cotton crop. Although the aircraft was substantially damaged the pilot was uninjured.

The engine subsequently performed normally during a test run. The pilot reported that he remembered strong 'willy willy' activity in the area immediately after the accident. He concluded it was likely that the take-off performance of the aircraft had been adversely affected by a wind gust at liftoff.