Circumstances:

The pilot was on a local flight when the engine failed suddenly at about 1500 feet above ground level. Emergency checks failed to restore power, and the pilot made a forced landing approach to a paddock. During the approach he deployed the drag brake because he was slightly high. He then saw a power line he had not previously sighted. In clearing this line, the speed washed off and the aircraft touched down heavily, fracturing the main gear legs as a result. An examination of the aircraft revealed that the fuel gascolator drain valve had been lost in flight. This resulted in fuel draining from the fuel bowl which in turn resulted in the engine power loss. The reason for the valve separating is not known. The information in this report is based on details provided by the pilot.

Circumstances:

The pilot reported he had been operating from an agricultural strip, for the purpose of sewing rice. During the ninth landing roll the aircraft experienced tail wheel shimmy. The pilot attempted to lift the tail wheel off the ground by the application of wheel braking, however, the aircraft nosed forward and overturned.

Circumstances:

The instructor stated that the pilot had flared normally, and during the hold off was flying parallel to the ground. Without warning, the aircraft suddenly descended and struck the ground heavily, causing buckling and compression of fuselage structure. The wind speed was approximately 20 knots with strong gusts, and flying was subsequently stopped due to the unsuitable conditions.

Circumstances:

The aircraft was taking off from a short strip. Soon after take-off the aircraft banked to the left lost airspeed and struck the ground. The pilot who was seriously injured was not sure if the propeller at the rear had struck long vegetation at the end of the strip causing him to lose control or if the aircraft had stalled during the turn.

Soon after lift-off, whilst tow launching a glider, the aircraft was struck by two kite-hawks. One hawk smashed the windshield and also struck the pilot in the face. The pilot released the glider and made a normal landing on the remaining runway. Although the pilot was cut about the face by the impact of the bird and broken pieces of perspex, it is considered that because he was wearing sunglasses at the time, he avoided probable serious eye damage.

The pilot was making a landing approach in gusty wind conditions. The aircraft was observed to descend rapidly, and in a nose high attitude, from a height of about 80 feet above the runway. The subsequent contact with the runway was heavy, and the right maingear collapsed. At the time of the approach, the aircraft centre of gravity was at or slightly aft of the rear limit, and the weight was close to the maximum allowable. The pilot had not attempted to arrest the rate of descent, and the aircraft had struck the ground with sufficient force to bend the axles of both maingears and to distort the wing surfaces. This accident was not the subject of an on scene investigation.

The pilot was spraying a pine forest in hilly country. The spray runs were made in the downhill direction only, which required a low power setting during application. When the pilot applied power at the end of a particular run, engine roughness was noticed. He attempted to return to the DEPARTURE aerodrome, but the engine performance deteriorated to the point where a precautionary landing became necessary. The only suitable area was a short stretch of road, and the pilot was forced to apply heavy braking after touchdown. The tail lifted, allowing the propeller to strike the ground, and the aircraft overturned. Investigation established that the head had separated from one of the cylinders, as a result of fatigue cracking. No abnormalities were found in the casting material of the cylinder which might have explained the onset of the fatigue. It was possible that the cracking resulted from damage caused by excessive manifold pressure and/or cylinder head temperatures applied during previous operations.

After a normal circuit the aircraft crossed the threshold at 85 knots. The pilot advised that the wheels locked as soon as braking was applied. Intermittent brake application had little effect in slowing the aircraft and as the pilot considered that insufficient strip remained to permit a go-around he attempted to ground loop the aircraft. It slid off the side of the strip and collided with a fence before coming to rest. The strip surface was very slippery as a result of overnight rain. Misty rain was still falling as the pilot made his approach and touched down about one quarter of the way along the strip. The pilot had not determined the last point at which a go-around could be commenced and persevered with the landing attempt beyond the point where a go-around could have been safely accomplished.

The pilot reported that the aircraft was flared normally for the night landing, but it dropped suddenly and struck the runway heavily. Damage was caused to the nose gear strut. The pilot, believing he was losing control of the aircraft, carried out a go-around. During the subsequent landing, the pilot was unable to steer the aircraft which veered to the left and struck a cone marker before being brought to a stop. The aircraft had been observed to fly a close base leg followed by a steep final approach path. The pilot had misjudged the landing flare and during the subsequent heavy landing the nose gear strut was pushed upward through the aircraft nose, dislodging the windscreen and disconnecting the nose wheel steering. Unknown to the pilot, the propellers also contacted the runway and the tips of all blades had been bent.

Circumstances:

The flight was one of a number of sorties connected with a feral animal control program. Each sortie was approximately two hours duration. When approximately 32 kilometres north of Turkey Creek whilst returning from a sortie, the aircraft suffered an engine failure due to fuel exhaustion. An autorotation from approximately 150 feet above ground level was initiated. The most suitable landing site was an area of light timber surrounded by some larger trees with numerous ant hills nearby. At a height of approximately 15 feet above the ground, the pilot introduced pitch control to place the aircraft into a high flare in order to avoid a run-on landing into the trees and ant hills. The aircraft subsequently made a heavy touchdown.