Circumstances:

The aircraft was being flown for the purpose of endorsing the pilot-under-training. The upper Airwork had been completed and a flapless approach and touch and go landing was to be the final circuit sequence. On the downwind leg the instructor pilot called out the pre-landing checklist, which was apparently complied with by the pilot-under training. At about this time the pilot-under-training was also involved with obtaining an onwards airways clearance through Flight Service. The aircraft was flared normally but settled onto the runway with the landing gear retracted. The landing gear selector was found to have been in the up position. The pilot-in-command said the landing gear warning horn was not heard prior to touchdown.

Circumstances:

Shortly after touching down on runway 22, the aircraft was affected by a localised whirlwind. Despite corrective action, the pilot was unable to prevent the aircraft from entering a ground loop. The left mainwheel ran off the sealed surface causing the aircraft to yaw sharply, resulting in substantial damage to the tail section.

Just prior to lift-off from the private airstrip the pilot stated that the engine misfired. He elected to abandon the take-off and veered the aircraft to the left to avoid a stand of trees just beyond the upwind end of the strip. The aircraft could not be stopped before colliding with the side boundary fence. Investigation revealed that the probable cause of the engine misfiring was lead fouling of one or more of the spark plugs.

Circumstances:

The pilot reported that on arrival in the Beverley Springs area he had some problems contacting Flight Service on the high frequency radio. During this period, he planned to land on runway 34. However, he noticed there was no wind and that the aircraft was positioned to make a short circuit for runway 16 so he decided to land on this runway. Due to the problems with the radio and the sudden change of circuit direction, the pilot forgot to complete the down-wind checks and the aircraft landed wheels up. No gear warning horn was heard, but this may have been due to the higher-than-normal power setting maintained on finals.

As he approached the Macpherson Range the pilot was forced to fly around some hills in order to stay below the cloud base. After crossing a ridge line where the gap beneath the cloud was about 300 feet, the pilot was confronted by a higher ridge. He subsequently advised that the aircraft could not out-climb the terrain and he carried out a controlled entry into the jungle canopy about 200 feet below the top of the ridge. Both wings were torn off however the cabin area came to rest intact.

The pilot had planned to land at a strip on a property 19 kilometres west of the town, however due to the unknown condition of the surface of the strip, he elected to land at the township strip. On the following day, the pilot inspected the strip using a vehicle to test the surface. Due to a soft wet surface at the northern end, 110 metres of the strip was not available. The pilot assessed the remainder of the strip to be firm enough for his planned operation. The pilot flew the aircraft to the strip and during the landing roll, towards the northern end, the nosewheel dug into the surface and the aircraft overturned. There was evidence of sudden heavy braking during the landing roll, immediately prior to the nosewheel digging into the strip surface. It is considered that the sudden application of heavy braking may have caused the nose of the aircraft to pitch down. The nosewheel broke through the surface of the strip and soft damp soil compacted to stop the nosewheel rotation causing the nosewheel to dig in further and the aircraft to overturn. This accident was not the subject of an on scene investigation.

The pilot intended refuelling at the previous landing point but he found that fuel was not available. After re-checking his fuel requirements he was satisfied that the flight could be accomplished with almost full reserves. The weather deteriorated and groundspeed reduced during the flight, causing the pilot to become concerned about flight visibility and fuel endurance. He elected to make a precautionary landing near a homestead but during the landing roll the aircraft ran through a fence and collided with a ditch. Although the pilot had lost time on earlier legs of the flight he made no similar allowance for the subject leg, nor did he divert to a suitable refuelling point. Having decided to carry out a precautionary landing, the pilot did not make a low-level inspection of the area. The approach to land was made downwind and the aircraft did not touch down until it was less than 220 metres from the end of the 2000 metre paddock selected.

The RF5 glider pilot was taxiing for take off with the intention of passing to the right of a Blanik glider which was bogged in muddy ground. He feared moving too far to the right because there was a risk of bogging the RF5 also. Initially the pilots in charge of both gliders thought there would be enough clearance. As the RF5 neared the Blanik, the Blanik pilot began waving to stop the RF5 but it was too late. The left wing tip of the RF5 struck the nose of the Blanik. At the time of the collision the RF5 was taxiing at a brisk walking pace. This accident was not the subject of a formal on-site investigation.

Circumstances:

The pilot of VH-BLX had planned to fly from Tully direct to Cooktown via Cairns. However, due to unsuitable inland weather the pilot changed the planned route before DEPARTURE to fly coastal at 1000 feet. The pilot reported DEPARTURE from abeam Dunk Island. He was later cleared to transit the Cairns control zone at 1000 feet, tracking initially from False Cape, (nine kilometres east of the aerodrome), to the control tower. As the aircraft was approaching the control tower from the east at 1000 feet, a Boeing 737 aircraft VH-CZL was approaching from the south at 2000 feet. VH-CZL overflew the control tower before being instructed to turn right and then make a left circuit for runway 15. The pilot of VH-BLX reported sighting the jet and was instructed to pass behind it. VH-BLX was then instructed to turn further right, to ensure that the flight path of VH-BLX would be to the east of the jet's flight path. After the pilot of VH-CZL had been given a landing clearance VH-BLX was instructed to turn left and was given the choice to track coastal or direct to Cooktown. The pilot was asked to report passing Double Island, 17 kilometres north-west of the airport. This was acknowledged by the pilot. The aircraft was last seen from the control tower tracking west towards Yorkeys Knob, eight kilometres to the north. No further transmissions were heard from VH-BLX, and an extensive search failed to locate the aircraft. The pilot’s body was found three days later in the entrance to Cairns harbour. An oil slick was seen south of Double Island on the same day, but it could not be confirmed that it was from the missing aircraft. A trawler has since reported netting an object south of Double Island which may have been the aircraft wreckage. The object was lost from the nets before it could be identified. Aircraft components have since been found in trawler nets at the same position, including the propeller and a section of wing structure. The structure shows evidence of being subjected to extreme impact forces. A search of the location has been conducted by Water Police without any success. This accident was not the subject of an on-scene investigation.

The pilot reported that he had landed at the mustering camp and prior to disembarking had placed a rubber strop over the collective lever. This was necessary as the lever would rise if no restraint was applied to it. He wanted a "relief break" and to deliver a parcel to one of the men at the camp. Having been out of the helicopter for a few minutes as he started to walk back to it the aircraft lifted off the ground rolled and came to rest on its left side. When he was able to return to the cabin he found that the strop was no longer on the collective lever. The pilot claimed a total experience of 7500 hours including 200 on type. He has flown a total of 250 hours in the last 90 days 80 hours on the lst 30 days and 6 hours on the last 24 hours. These times included 17 hours on type in the last 30 days and 6 hours on type in the last 24 hours. During conversation the pilot reported that he was aware of three incidents in Queensland and two in Western Australia where R22's without the pilot in the aircraft had performed a similar manoeuvre. There is no manufactured collective lever restraint system in the aircraft and each operator makes up his own means of tie-down because the practice of leaving the helicopter when the engine is running is quite common.