Collision with terrain

The aircraft first struck trees on a ridge while on a westerly heading in substantially level flight. Portion of the right wing was torn off the aircraft, apparently out of control, crashed into the thickly timbered valley immediately west of the ridge.

Detailed examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any defect or malfunction which might have contributed to the accident.

The pilot, who did not hold an instrument rating and was therefore restricted to flight under the Visual Flight Rules. Aircraft seen entering cloud then struck mountain.

Aircraft had descended into trees at 2.5 deg, wings level. No witnesses. Possible VFR pilot in cloud descending.

The wreckage of the aircraft was located on the north-east slope of a ridge in a remote, densely timbered mountainous area. The accident site was virtually on the planned track of the aircraft and there is evidence to indicate that, at the time of initial impact with trees, the aircraft had been on a south-south-westerly heading in gently descending controlled flight with the wings level and at near normal cruising speed.

The aircraft departed from the Charters Towers aerodrome at approximately 1115 hours and, after flying over an area to the east and north-east, it proceeded towards Balfe's Creek, some 40 kilometres south-west of Charters Towers, where it landed at about 1210 hours. Some 15 minutes later, the four occupants re-boarded the aft and it took off towards the north-east. It then made a gradual right turn and, when last observed by a resident of Balfe's Creek, it was at a height of some 200 to 300 feet heading towards the nearby Lake Powlathanga. At about 1515 hours the surviving passenger was found by chance by a local resident on the shore of the lake.

At about 0600 hours the pilot and his passengers proceeded by motor vehicle from Kondut to the aerodrome at Wongan Hills. At 0632 hours the pilot contacted the Perth Briefing Office by telephone and. after obtaining the appropriate area meteorological forecast, he submitted flight plan details in respect of a flight to Bibby Spring and return. He indicated that his expected time of departure from Wongan Hills was 0645 hours, the flight time would be 45 minutes in each direction, the fuel endurance was 180 minutes and the flight was to be conducted in accordance with the Visual Flight Rules.

Aircraft struck water, descending and turning to the right. It then dived steeply into the sea about one kilometre off the shoreline of Port Grey.

Examination of the wreckage disclosed no evidence of any defect or malfunction which may have contributed to the accident. The aircraft had struck a densely timbered slope whilst turning away from rising ground and it had come to rest in an upright attitude. The machinery wheel from the luggage compartment had broken free on impact and had struck the occupants of the front seats.

On 23 October 1975 Hawker Siddeley Heron DH114 2E/A1 aircraft, registered VHCLS, with a crew of three and eight passengers aboard, departed Mount Isa, Queensland, for Cairns on a regular public transport service. The flight proceeded to the vicinity of Cairns without reported incident and at 1917 hours Eastern Standard Time (EST) it was cleared for, and acknowledged instructions for an ILS (instrument landing system) approach to Runway 15 at Cairns Airport. At 1926 hours the flight reported 'going round' and, at about this time a number of people located at various positions to the north of the airport observed an aircraft manoeuvring at a low height. Shortly afterwards the aircraft crashed at a point 2813 metres north-west of the threshold of Runway 15. Heavy rain and lightning were in the general area of the accident site. The aircraft was virtually destroyed, and all of its occupants were killed as a result of the accident.

 

 

See attached file to the right.

The pilot spent most of the day of 12 May, 1974 at the Whyalla Airport and, at about 1730 hours, he adjourned to the club house of the local aero club.

Examination of the wreckage indicated that the aircraft had dived steeply at high speed into soft ground and virtually disintegrated at Impact. There was no evidence of any pre-impact structural failure, system malfunction or mechanical failure which could have contributed to the accident. The pilot's watch had stopped because of Impact damage and indicated 4.25 hours. A comparison of the tachometer reading and the aircraft records indicated that the duration of the final flight was 25 minutes. It seems most likely that the accident occurred before first light on the morning of 13 May at which time light rain was falling from high overcast cloud and there was low cloud with a base of 1,000 to 1,500 feet. The pilot did not hold any instrument rating and was therefore restricted to flight in visual meteorological conditions by day. His log book indicated that he had no instrument flight time and that his night flying experience was limited to one dual flight of 15 minutes some nine months prior to the accident.