The pilot reported that during a practice engine off landing he flared the helicopter too high, and the rotor RPM decayed, resulting in a heavy landing. Some slight buckling of the tail boom, firewall, and left side panel was evident after the landing.

When climbing through FL120, the crew heard a loud bang followed by severe vibration. The Number 2 engine instruments indicated an EGT of 990 degrees and a vibration indication of 5 (most severe indication). The engine was shut down as per the checklist and the aircraft was returned for a safe landing. The engine was removed and failure of the Number 4 bearing identified as the cause of the malfunction.

The pilot reported that the aircraft engine lost power when he made a power adjustment whilst on final approach. The propeller feathered and the aircraft landed short of the runway on unprepared ground, incurring substantial damage. 

The aircraft was being used for parachute drops from 14,000ft. When the last parachutist left the aircraft, the pilot would place the aircraft in a steep spiralling descent. During this type of descent, the pilot was known to exceed the 60 degree angle of bank limits for the aircraft.

Low fuel states were reported as being used for the paradrops. It is probable that the fuel flow from the wing cells to the collector tank (18 litre capacity) was interrupted during the descent and air entered the system. The fuel pump was not designed to operate in other than a full collector tank. As a result it is likely that the fuel flow to the engine was interrupted, resulting in engine flame out.

Earlier in the afternoon the pilot had flown from Noosa to Toowoomba. After a short stay the pilot and his passengers boarded the aircraft a took off for the return journey. When the pilot selected the landing gear up it did not retract. He completed emergency checks and found that the hydraulic fluid level was low. The flight was continued to Maroochydore where engineering advice would be available.

Enroute the pilot contacted his maintenance engineer and following the discussion attempted to replenish the hydraulic fluid tank with engine oil. This was not successful.

The aircraft was landed with the gear retracted and sustained damage to the propeller and fuselage undersurface. All the occupants were uninjured.

Subsequent inspection revealed that the left main gear door actuator had separated allowing the hydraulic fluid to escape.

The pilot reported that he was spraying a potato crop and had 150 litres of chemical on board. Weather conditions were fine with a south easterly wind of three to five knots. He commenced his first run which was in a westerly direction and uphill.

At the end of the run, he switched off the spray and commenced a left climbing turn to avoid a nine metre high hedge with a house behind. The aircraft did not respond to control inputs and started to head for the hedge. The pilot managed to avoid the hedge but said the aircraft felt "mushy" and started to go down. The aircraft hit the ground and rolled over.

The pilot did not claim there was any fault with the engine. He had been flying a more powerful turbine powered helicopter until recently when he was endorsed on the Hughes 300. He had limited experience on the aircraft type at the time of the accident.

The pilot reported that he obtained the normal safe landing gear indication after the gear was extended prior to landing. The touchdown was normal, but the nose gear collapsed as it contacted the runway. It was later determined that the nose gear drag brace fitting which attaches to the fuselage was loose.

Some of the attaching rivets had been replaced with bolts at some time prior to the accident. The bolts and remaining rivets had worked loose. This allowed a change in geometry of the downlock mechanism which unlocked under the landing load and allowed the nose leg to collapse.

During an aero-tow take-off in gusting wind conditions, the pilot lost control of the aircraft after the right wing dropped and dragged on the ground. The glider pilot released the tow rope and attempted to regain directional control to avoid a collision with the boundary fence. He applied full flap and ground looped the glider. However, as the aircraft swung, the tail and the trailing edge of the left wing struck the fence.

During a cross-country attempt at a "Silver C" certificate, the pilot was forced to conduct an outlanding and selected a suitable paddock. After touchdown, the left wing rose, and the pilot overreacted with too much left aileron. The wing of the glider struck the crop which immediately slewed the glider to the left. The glider came to rest after crashing through an electrified fence.

During a solo training circuit, the pilot was subjected to some minor distractions involving other aircraft. The resulting circuit was cramped and the aircraft rolled out high on final approach. The pilot selected the dive brakes and then did not recognise the resulting undershoot until late on final approach. He then dived the aircraft to maintain speed, forgetting to retract the dive brakes. The left wing struck a tree, and the aircraft came to rest inverted. The pilot, who was inexperienced on type, possibly had a temporary lapse of concentration when the approach became dangerously low and forgot to retract the speed brakes.

During the landing roll the pilot felt that the left wing appeared to drop, so immediately initiated a go around. He noticed that the three green landing gear down lights were still illuminated before he cycled the gear to check for a malfunction. The left gear light then failed to illuminate again. The pilot decided to divert to Parafield where emergency services were available and advised Adelaide Flight Service. On arrival, a ground inspection confirmed that the left landing gear leg was partially extended, canted to the rear, and the gear door was missing.

After the emergency services were in place the pilot shut down the left engine, set the feathered propeller in the horizontal position, and carried out a landing. During the landing roll the left gear collapsed, the wheel became lodged between the flap and ground, stopping the tyre rotation and turning the aircraft left through 90 degrees to the runway centre line. The left gear trunnion forward pivot pin bracket/bearing assembly, attached to the wing spar, was found to have failed, and the rear pin then failed in overload as a secondary failure.

This allowed the left gear to separate but remain attached to the aircraft by its retract arm. The failure of the bracket/bearing assembly appeared to have been the result of excessive wear, possibly due to insufficient lubrication. Further examination revealed that the trunnion was an incorrect part, being manufactured from cast aluminium for fitment to PA28R type aircraft.

The correct trunnion is manufactured from forged aluminium and is of a stronger design for the heavier PA34 type aircraft. The aircraft logbook and other records did not indicate when this component was installed on the aircraft. The incorrect trunnion type did not contribute to the failure, or the accident.