The aircraft took off from Carbla Station at 0600 for the purpose of mustering sheep about 5 miles west of the strip. At about 0800, with the left fuel tank selected and while turning right at a height of approximately 50 feet above the ground, the engine lost all power. The pilot levelled the aircraft and being unable to restore engine power, lowered full flap and carried out a forced landing straight ahead on lightly timbered level ground. Soon after touch down both main wheels struck tree roots and the aircraft overturned.

The glider was prepared for a winch launch on Runway 18, using 5,000 feet of cable. By the time the glider was ready for launching the wind had backed from 180 degrees to approximately 090 degrees, with a mean speed of 14 knots. The instructor appreciated this and planned to land on Runway 05 for subsequent launches. With both instructor and student aboard, the aircraft exceeded by 82 pounds the maximum permissible take-off weight. The first attempt to launch the glider was abandoned because it drifted across the runway. During the second attempt the glider was still on the ground after rolling about 1000 feet. The instructor used elevator control to lift the glider into the air at 45 m.p.h., 3 - 5 m.p.h. below the normal separation speed. A height of 20 - 30 feet was reached with an airspeed of about 50 m.p.h., but the winch speed was low and the airspeed began to decay. A signal from the pilot calling for an increase in winch speed produced no result and the tow cable was released at about 45 m.p.h. and the nose of the glider lowered, but the speed did not increase and the glider was landed heavily, in a near stalled condition, causing substantial damage to the lower mid section of the fuselage.

The aircraft was engaged on a local sight seeing flight and the gross weight of the aircraft was close to the maximum permitted. The only previous occasion on which the pilot had flown a fully laden aircraft was during a check by his instructor on 21st December, 1969 at which time flying conditions were good. The pilot elected to take-off on the 03 strip into a light north easterly wind. During the take-off the pilot noticed that the wind had become gusty. When the airspeed had reached about 50 knots the aircraft became airborne and shortly afterwards the pilot heard the stall warning horn sound. He lowered the nose to increase speed but soon thereafter he raised the nose of the aircraft to climb, the stall warning horn again sounded and the aircraft veered and began a turn to the right as the right wing dropped. The pilot attempted to continue the turn to land back on the aerodrome but, when he believed that he was losing control of the aircraft, he attempted to level it and reduced power preparatory to letting the aircraft settle in light scrub. The aircraft stalled from a height of about 25 feet with the right wing striking the ground first.

The pilot made an aerial inspection of development of part of the Mission property. On returning to the strip he positioned the aircraft on base leg at 500 feet, but before he turned left to make the final approach to land he noticed new developmental work and turned right toward it to make a closer inspection. As the aircraft turned towards the area and toward rising ground covered with tall trees, a water bottle alongside the pilot's seat fell over and rolled towards the rear of the aircraft spilling the contents. The pilot held the control column with his left hand, turned in his seat and made several attempts to right the bottle before he succeeded. During these attempts the aircraft descended to tree top height over the higher terrain. The pilot looked up at the same time as he felt the aircraft striking the trees. He levelled the aircraft, pulled up and applied power and made a landing without further incident at the Mission airstrip. Inspection disclosed extensive damage to the flaps and leading edge of the wings, that portion of the tailplane was missing and that the starboard elevator was supported by one hinge.

After flying northward and examining surface mineral characteristics from the air the pilot decided to return to Bandya Homestead where, on circling the 300 feet wide earth strip, he judged the wind to be directly across it and gusting between 10-15 knots. He selected full flap and approached to land, Intending to touch down firstly on the left mainwheel and with the left wing lowered. The aircraft touched down on the left main wheel close to the centre of the strip and the nose wheel and right main wheel then quickly made contact. The aircraft ran straight and parallel to the edge of the strip for 350 feet, with the left wheel intermittently lifting, but it then commenced to veer to the left at an increasing rate. Despite the application of right rudder and the late use of brake the aircraft continued to swing and finally ran off the left hand edge of the strip and the nose wheel struck a low ridge of earth. The nosewheel assembly collapsed and the aircraft came to rest on the main wheels and lower engine cowling.

At 1420 hours WST on 8th January, 1970, a Beech A23A aircraft, registered VH-RWA, and a Piper PA24-250 aircraft, registered VH-PAR, collided at a height of approximately 100 feet above ground level, whilst on approach to Runway 24 at Jandakot Airport, Western Australia. Although substantially damaged, VH-RWA continued in flight and landed safely on the runway but VH-PAR became uncontrollable following loss of the complete empennage and crashed some 590 feet short of the runway threshold.

The two aircraft, each following a different approach path to the runway, had gradually converged until both aircraft became established on final approach with VH-RWA above and slightly behind VH-PAR. As the two aircraft approached a height of approximately 100 feet above ground level, the flight path of VH-RWA steepened and this aircraft descended on to VH-PAR. The first contact was made between the underside of the mainplane of the upper aircraft and the top of the vertical fin of -PAR and the propeller of VH-RWA then contacted the rear fuselage of VH-PAR and severed it.

Because of a delay In commencing descent arising from communications difficulties, the pilot decided to lower the undercarriage to Increase his rate of descent. He moved the selection to the "DOWN" position, and then noted that the red undercarriage "UP" light was out. He did not check the green "DOWN" light for main wheel Indication or the nosewheel mechanical indicator. The pilot was not aware that an electrical short circuit prevented the lowering of the undercarriage or that It also denied him the benefit of the undercarriage position lights. After entering the circuit area, the pilot again only checked that the undercarriage selector was In the "DOWN" position and that the red "UP" undercarriage light was out. He approached to land in a wind of 25-30 knots, with a relatively high power setting, which masked the audible warning device. Just prior to touchdown the pilot throttled back and heard the warning horn but too late to Initiate a go around and the aircraft settled to the runway with the undercarriage fully retracted. The aircraft slid for 300 feet before coming to rest.

The pilot, an enthusiastic light aircraft owner, had organised a week end "fly in" to his airstrip at Devon Downs, which was attended by light aircraft pilots and parachutists together with their families and friends. During the day a programme of general flying was carried out and late in the afternoon the pilot flew to nearby Scrubby Flat with the two passengers to pick up some sleeping bags. The passenger in the right hand front seat was also a qualified pilot but the right hand control column had been removed earlier in the day to permit parachute dropping and had not been replaced. The people assembled at the airstrip at Devon Downs first sighted the aircraft on its return as it climbed up from the nearby Murray River valley which, in this area, is bordered by 200 feet high cliffs. The aircraft then made a shallow descent and flew along the strip on a heading of about 250 degrees, at a very low height. At the western end of the strip the aircraft pulled up steeply to between 200 and 300 feet above the ground and began a "wingover" turn manoeuvre to the left. As the turn progressed to the point at which the wings were steeply banked and the fuselage approximately horizontal, the spectators saw the aircraft falter, then the nose dropped and the aircraft dived into the ground at a very steep angle. A fierce fire broke out immediately on impact and the aircraft was completely destroyed.

The aircraft departed from Port Pirie after refuelling in the course of a flight from Coober Pedy to Parafield. The pilot had not lodged a flight plan and there is no evidence that he consulted a weather forecast. The aircraft carried only VHF radio. Following advice from a friend of the pilot that the aircraft had not arrived at Parafield an air search was commenced and the wreckage of the aircraft was sighted late that afternoon at a position 3 miles west of the direct track Port Pirie - Dublin. The aircraft had struck the ground heading west and with the nose and right wing slightly down consistent with the aircraft having been under control. The engine was delivering substantial power at the time of impact. Weather over the route south of Port Pirie was influenced by a strong westerly wind and there were winds of up to 35 knots. The Hummock and Barunga Ranges had been enveloped in low cloud and drizzle throughout the morning and there are reports that the cloud cover extended to a considerable height in the area of the ranges and across the track which the aircraft might be expected to follow. A number of aircraft were seen and heard in the area during the period in which the accident occurred but it has not been possible to establish the precise flight path of this aircraft.

Following the commencement of aircraft vibration in flight at 4,000 feet, the pilot advised Alice Springs that he was returning and expected a normal approach and landing. He attempted to isolate the source of the vibration by checking the magnetoes and by applying carburettor heat, and then he proceeded to cut each engine in turn by moving the appropriate mixture control to the idle cut off position. After cutting the port engine the pilot trimmed out the rudder foot load, but did not increase power on the starboard engine. Some minutes later, realising that he had lost considerable height and was now down to some 500 feet above ground level, he attempted to restore power on the port engine and believes he reselected the mixture control to "rich". He then moved both throttle and pitch levers to climb power settings, but although the pilot still had considerable right rudder trim applied he felt no asymmetric foot load. The aircraft gained 100 feet and then flew level at 90 knots, with the vibration continuing. The pilot lowered the nose and as the aircraft began to lose height again he decided that he must land straight ahead. He transmitted a "Mayday" call and with the wheels and flaps retracted he landed amongst scattered, small trees, damaging the aircraft beyond economical repair. It is possible that the vibration was due to the turbulent airflow induced by the protruding section of the wing walkway. The extra drag arising from this source, however, would not have been sufficient to account for the loss of performance.