The pilot planned a spraying run which involved crossing a ridge below a power line 37 feet above ground level and passing between two trees 54 feet apart. It was necessary also to climb steeply to clear other trees situated 280 feet beyond the ridge. Having completed the run, the pilot realised that his attention had been so concentrated on the obstructions that he was not confident that he had achieved full coverage and he therefore decided that he should make another run across the ridge on a reciprocal track. Upon passing the trees on the approach in this direction, a rapid loss of height was necessary to spray up the slope to the ridge and to ensure clearance from the overhead wire. The pilot achieved correct spraying height when within 100 feet or so of the ridge but was unable to simultaneously align the aircraft for the run and the right wing struck one of the trees. The leading edge was extensively damaged and the pilot closed the throttle in an attempt to land ahead. However, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled turn to the right and, after passing through the top of another tree, struck the bank of a creek almost inverted and in a steep nose down attitude. Fire broke out on impact and, although the pilot received a blow on the helmet which momentarily stunned him, he was able to evacuate the aircraft and extinguish his burning clothes in a creek nearby.

During the morning the pilot, who had not flown for about 3 months, flew the aircraft, solo, and made three landings without Incident, in the afternoon he took three friends on a flight around the town of Murtoa and on returning to the field approached to land without using engine power and with full flap selected. The aircraft touched down on the crest of a shallow undulation and bounced three times. The pilot did not take any corrective action and on the last touch down the aircraft landed heavily on the nosewheel assembly which collapsed rearwards. The aircraft skidded for a distance of 60 feet until the propeller spinner dug Into the ground and brought it to a halt.

The aircraft took off from Ballarat and arrived In the spraying area fifteen to twenty minutes later. The pilot was familiar with the field, having sprayed it the previous day, and he commenced spraying on this occasion with an east to west run on the southern side of a main power line which crosses the field. He made his second run In the opposite direction, still on the southern side of the main power line, and then proceeded to spray a four acre paddock a short distance away. On returning to the first field he made a spray run from east to west on the northern side of the main power line. During this run he looked back to check the drift of the spray and the aircraft struck a three wire spur power line running north from the main power line approximately half way along the run. The flight of the aircraft was arrested and It struck the ground nose first and then fell to the inverted position. A fire broke out and the pilot was assisted from the burning wreckage by two farmers.

At approximately 1935 hours EST on 6 May, 1969 an Aero Commander 500S aircraft, registered VIJ-EXT, struck the ground and crashed 2 miles west of Warracknabeal Aerodrome, Victoria, while making an approach to land at that aerodrome.

On the morning of the day of the accident the pilot flew for 35 minutes in a Victa aircraft during which he was instructed in spinning. On completion of the flight in the Victa the instructor then gave dual instruction in circuit and landings in the Cessna 150. At the completion of this period, the instructor authorised the student pilot to make his first solo circuit. This circuit was satisfactory and the instructor then authorised a second circuit. The approach for landing on this circuit was normal but at level off the aircraft ballooned and then landed heavily, nosewheel first, and the nosewheel leg collapsed.

The aircraft was engaged in spraying operations over the living quarters and working area of the R.A.A.F. base. When operations commenced, the wind conditions were light but, as the work progressed, the wind strength increased and at the time of the accident it was from 270 degrees at 22 to 30 knots. Spray runs were being made across wind at a low speed to achieve the required spray distribution and, when nearing the completion of the allotted task, the pilot made a turn in a downwind direction at the end of a spray run. In the turn, the aircraft commenced to lose height and the pilot increased collective pitch, but was unable to arrest the descent. As the aircraft was approaching a row of pine trees, the pilot also reduced the forward speed and dumped the remaining spray liquid but the aircraft continued to descend and struck the pine trees.

The pilot had completed three aerial seeding flights over areas In timbered and mountainous terrain In a light northerly wind. On the fourth flight he was making runs down a slope from north-east to south-west and, after each run, was repositioning his aircraft at the top of the slope by flying a right hand circuit. At the end of one run and with only a small area to complete, the pilot decided to make a left turn and a finishing run up the slope and to leave the area by turning left again. During the final run he became aware there was Insufficient space to permit the Intended manoeuvre so he turned right toward a lower spur line but realised he was unlikely to clear this. The pilot operated the dump lever, the aircraft settled Into the trees with full power applied and fell to the ground, coming to rest Inverted.

The aircraft was operated from a fenced field immediately adjacent to the homestead and farm building area and there were a number of sheep in that area. At the conclusion of a local flight the pilot overflew the landing field and made a left hand circuit. The final approach was made over the homestead and farm building area and just before touching down the nosewheel leg of the aircraft struck a sheep which had not previously been observed by the pilot. The nosewheel leg was torn from its mounting and the aircraft came to rest standing on its malnwheels and nose cowls.

During the day the pilot, who was inexperienced in agricultural operations, had completed the spreading of superphosphate while under the supervision of a Class 1 agricultural pilot. The strip used, though adequate in length, was substantially below the prescribed minimum in width, it was bordered by rough, rutted ground and targe rocks and the transverse gradient was in excess of the specified maximum. In the late afternoon the pilot returned to the strip to load some equipment. The wind was calm and shortly after making a normal landing the aircraft diverged approximately 12 feet to the right of the strip centre line. Due to the rough ground and downslope the pilot was unable to regain the central strip and the main wheels struck some large rocks tipping the aircraft on to its nose.

Prior to departure, the pilot did not establish that the single runway at Zeehan is 1,715 feet in length or that the distance required for landing in the conditions that existed is 1,575 feet. During the landing approach, the aircraft crossed the runway threshold at a height of at least 100 feet and touched down with less than half the available runway length remaining. The pilot applied brakes and, when the aircraft was about 150 feet from the end of the runway, he applied power and attempted to go-around. The aircraft failed to become airborne and overturned after striking a low earth embankment 22 feet beyond the end of the runway.