The aircraft was being used to convey ABC staff from Rockhampton to Kenlogan Station in order to carry out filming of that and neighbouring properties as part of a planned television program. On arrival in the Kenlogan area the pilot was unable to locate the airstrip and after searching for about 30 minutes a diversion was made to Cumberland Downs (which is now known as Fletchers Awl). Witnesses on the ground at Fletchers Awl watched the aircraft as it arrived and made three circuits of the strip. The landing gear was observed to be extended during the third circuit. The witnesses lost sight of the aircraft as it passed behind rising ground. Shortly afterwards smoke was observed, and it was found that the aircraft had struck the ground about 800 metres short of the strip. A fierce fire had broken out and engulfed the wreckage. The geographical position of Kenlogan as depicted on the appropriate Aeronautical Chart was some 9 km east-south-east of the actual position. Whether this was known to the pilot before the flight could not be established. Examination of the wreckage was hampered because of the extensive fire damage. Although the engines were delivering little or no power at the time of impact, no defect or malfunction with the engines or airframe was found which might have contributed to the development of the occurrence. The cause of the accident remains undetermined.

The pilot reported that when the aircraft was cruising at 1000 feet above mean sea level, shortly after takeoff, the engine note changed. He immediately turned the aircraft back towards the strip and by this time the engine had begun to run roughly. Attempts to rectify the problem were unsuccessful and the pilot stated that the engine power gradually reduced to nil and a ditching became inevitable. The aircraft was ditched at low speed and floated in a 60 degree nose down attitude. Water began to enter the cabin through the broken windscreen. The four passengers exited through the right door and the pilot opened, and swam out through the left side window. After clinging to the aircraft for a short time they all decided to swim to shore, a distance of about two kilometres. They were subsequently picked up by a rescue boat. The aircraft sunk after about 15 minutes. The aircraft was not recovered from the seabed therefore the cause of the loss of engine power could not be established. Although they were available and the company operations manual requires life-jackets to be worn on overwater flights, none of the occupants were wearing life-jackets on this service. This accident was not the subject of an on-site investigation.

The pilot's flight plan indicated that he would reach his destination 20 minutes before last light. During the flight this estimate was amended to 7 minutes before last light. As the enroute weather was satisfactory, the pilot proceeded as planned. However, about 10 kilometres from the aerodrome, rain showers and deteriorating visibility were encountered and the pilot did not consider it safe to continue. There was insufficient daylight remaining to reach the planned alternate aerodrome, and the pilot elected to carry out a precautionary landing on a sealed stretch of road. The aircraft touched down normally, but then began to drift to the right. A go-around was initiated, but the tailplane struck a fence post. The force of this impact almost tore the tail section from the aircraft. The pilot felt the impact but was unaware of the extent of the damage until after he had landed the aircraft in the adjoining paddock. The road on which the pilot had attempted to land was narrow, and the approach had been made in crosswind conditions. The pilot had limited experience on the type and had been unable to maintain directional control under the existing conditions.

During a mustering operation at 100 feet above ground level the pilot noticed an unusual vibration in the aircraft. He decided to land in a nearby clear area to investigate the source of the vibration. As the pilot commenced the approach the engine suddenly oversped and the pilot immediately commenced an autorotational descent. The aircraft touched down while still moving sideways and rolled over. Inspection of the aircraft found that the short drive shaft from the engine to the transmission had failed. The failure was the result of the shaft overheating due to a lack of lubrication when the grease retaining boot on the drive shaft adaptor fell off. The clamp that held the boot in position was not found and the reason the boot was lost could not be determined. This accident was not the subject of an on-site investigation.

It was reported that the takeoff run was commenced after the pilot had run the engine to full power. The aircraft then travelled the full length of the 607 metre strip before entering light scrub. It became airborne for a distance of 48 metres before striking the ground in a nose down attitude. The landing gear was torn from the aircraft and a fire erupted in the front of the cabin before the aircraft came to rest. The pilot and passengers evacuated the aircraft before it was destroyed by fire. The strip length available for the proposed operation was inadequate. The load designated for carriage by the aircraft operator and accepted for carriage by the pilot, exceeded by approximately 345 kilograms the maximum allowable takeoff weight for the strip in the prevailing conditions. Also the takeoff performance of the aircraft was further inhibited by the takeoff being attempted with the flaps in the up position. Damage caused by the fire hampered the inspection of the wreckage. However, an examination of the fuel system found evidence of water contamination, and it is considered possible that the presence of water in the fuel system could have resulted in a reduction in engine performance during the takeoff run. No other faults that may have contributed to the accident were found. Perusal of the maintenance documentation for the aircraft found that water contamination was a problem with the aircraft, and that this pilot had recommended that a fuel drain be carried out prior to each takeoff. On this occasion no fuel drain was completed immediately prior to the attempted takeoff.

The helicopter was on late final approach when the pilot attempted to open the throttle. The engine did not respond to the throttle movement and an autorotational descent was commenced. However, the rate of descent was not arrested and the aircraft landed heavily. An inspection of the aircraft found that the bolt attaching the throttle cable to the collective/throttle linkage was missing. The bolt and nut were later found on the floor of the aircraft between the seats. The helicopter had recently been stripped and repainted but during re-assembly a cotterpin was inadvertantly left out of the throttle control linkage. A subsequent periodic inspection failed to disclose the omission. The aircraft had completed appoximately 24 flight hours since that periodic inspection.

The aircraft was being taxied on an apron between several hangars. Painted guide lines were provided to allow obstacle clearance, however the pilot had difficulty seeing the lines over the nose cowling. As the aircraft passed a parked aircraft on the right, the left wing struck a power pole. The pilot had evidently not followed the marked guide lines. The pole struck had a weathered appearance, and was not easily distinguished against the grey colour of the hangar wall. The pilot also commented that he was distracted by the presence of the parked aircraft.

The pilot was conducting a solo navigation exercise, which involved an enroute landing. Turbulence was encountered during the latter stages of the landing approach and a heavy touchdown occurred. The aircraft bounced and again touched down heavily before the pilot was able to regain control of the landing. After taxying to the parking area, the pilot discovered damage to the nosegear leg and adjacent structure. Relatively strong and gusty wind conditions existed at the time of the accident. Sink had been encountered on short final approach and the pilot had been unable to prevent a heavy touchdown.

The pilot had intended carrying out a flight around the property. When he had not returned by nightfall his parents rang neighbours before commencing a search. The wreckage of the aircraft was found two kilometres north-east of the homestead. It had struck the ground while in a steep nose-down attitude, in a paddock with no obstructions in the immediate vicinity. Investigation revealed that the engine throttle cable was broken, however it was not established whether this had occurred before or after the impact. The wreckage distribution was typical of that which follows a stall with insufficient height remaining in which to effect recovery. However, the reason the aircraft apparently stalled could not be determined.

Approaching the coastline of Wilsons Promontory, the pilot heard a loud bang from the engine compartment, which was followed by oil escaping onto the windscreen. About 40 seconds later the engine failed completely and the pilot carried out a successful ditching in about 1.2 metres of water, some 10 metres from the shoreline. The pilot and passengers waded to land and were subsequently rescued by a helicopter. The pilot had chosen to land in the water rather than attempt a landing on the beach, which appeared to be soft and was obstructed by a rocky outcrop. Examination of the engine revealed that the number 5 cylinder connecting rod had failed from fatigue. This in turn led to the overload failure of the big-end bolts.