The aircraft operator said that the aircraft struck the ground during a turn when the pilot was involved in a crop spraying operation.

The pilot has declined to forward any information.

The pilot with three passengers intended operating the Warrior in the training area for about one and half hours. During the take-off roll, the pilot became concerned with the apparent lack of aircraft acceleration. Immediately after liftoff, the aircraft settled and, suspecting a reduction of power, the pilot closed the throttle. During the landing the aircraft overran the end of the runway sustaining minor damage. A subsequent engineering inspection found that the engine was capable of normal operation.

The pilot reported that the flight was required to conduct an urgent medical evacuation. He was advised that the strip had been recently graded and was acceptable. The strip owner was not contacted to ascertain its current status. The strip appeared satisfactory during a pre-landing inspection.

During the latter stage of the landing roll, on runway 20, the nosewheel entered an area of soft dry soil. The additional drag from the soil caused the nosewheel landing gear extension strut to fail in overload and the landing gear to collapse.

Although the whole strip had been graded only the first 750 m was suitable for aircraft operations. The remaining 550 m was covered with soft soil that had been washed onto the strip during recent rains. The soil had been levelled but not removed during the grading. There were no markers on the strip to indicate the unserviceable area.

The pilot stated that he was spreading "Urea" on a cotton crop. Prior to commencing a procedure turn the aircraft overflew a stand of trees. When the aircraft was about three quarters of the way through the turn, the pilot felt the aircraft begin to stall. He lowered the nose and increased power, but the aircraft descended into the trees. It continued to fall between the trees and slid for 70 metres before coming to rest. The pilot stated that during a previous landing he had experienced a willy-willy which had originated from the stand of trees. He was conscious of downdrafts near the trees. During previous turns he had flown well past the trees before commencing a turn. On this occasion he feels that the aircraft was affected by a downdraft.

The pilot was making his first flight in the aircraft which he had just completed building. He was using runway 17 right and the wind was a light southerly of about five knots, tending to the southwest. He reported that he misjudged the first approach to land, so made a go-around. On the next attempt he touched down about halfway along the runway. There was plenty of runway remaining after landing so the pilot decided to let the aircraft run through to the end rather than to brake for a shorter turn off. At this stage the stick was full back.

Suddenly the aircraft started to veer to the left. The pilot said he was unable to correct the situation. The aircraft continued the swing and was almost sideways by the time it entered the grass on the left of the runway. The right main landing gear leg buckled in the soft ground and the right wing hit the ground.

Following a normal landing onto a wet grass airstrip the pilot applied braking, but this had no effect on the wet slippery surface. As the aircraft approached the far end of the airstrip, which was fenced and adjacent to a steep gully, the pilot tried to turn the now slowing aircraft, but it continued straight ahead.

He was able to guide the aircraft to the edge of the airstrip, and when he attempted another turn it became sideways, ran off the airstrip into tussocky heavy grass which caused the main landing gear legs to collapse.

The pilot reported that during a steep approach to the landing area at Turtle Cove Resort, he heard a loud bang at approximately 250 feet followed by airframe vibration. A precautionary landing was made on the beach. Inspection of the aircraft revealed damage to two rotor blades, and after speaking to witnesses he realised that he had struck a power line.

The pilot said he had landed at the resort before but had not approached from this direction. He believed he had passed over the wires, but they were closer to the resort than he had anticipated. The pilot was not injured.

The operator advised that the aircraft had been hired for the purpose of a joy flight. While flying down wind, at reduced airspeed, over the northern end of South Stradbroke Island the pilot said that the aircraft's stall warning sounded. He immediately lowered the nose of the aircraft and increased power. At this point the aircraft was close to the ground, so the pilot decided to make an emergency landing. During the landing roll the nose wheel became bogged in soft sand and separated from the aircraft. The aircraft then swung to the right and the wing tip came into contact with a sand dune.

The pilot and three passengers were able to exit the aircraft safely.

The pilot diverted to Ballarat due to poor weather enroute. He noted smoke from a nearby chimney and estimated the wind was from 160 degrees. Runway 18 was selected for landing. On touchdown the aircraft bounced, touching down again near the right side of the runway. The pilot applied power to go around as the aircraft ran off the right side of the runway into a wet and boggy grass area. The aircraft did not become airborne. The nose leg collapsed on the soft surface and the aircraft quickly came to a stop.

Significant Factors

The following factors were considered relevant to the development of the accident:

1 The pilot probably misjudged the landing flare.

2 The pilot probably did not apply the appropriate technique to ensure that directional control was maintained during the attempted landing and go around sequence.

The pilot had been landing to the north on the agricultural strip. Because a 10 knot south-westerly wind had developed he decided to land to the south. On short final the aircraft landing gear caught in a power line which the pilot had not seen. The nose pitched down and the aircraft struck the ground very heavily and cartwheeled.

The aircraft was severely damaged. The pilot had sighted a power line, aligned east-north-east, from a house to a post. Another line, the one not seen, ran east-west from the same post, with the next pole out of sight among trees.

Significant Factors

The following factors were considered relevant to the development of the accident:

1 The procedures adopted by the pilot did not detect the presence of the power line.

2 During the landing approach the aircraft landing gear caught on a power line not seen by the pilot.