Loss of control

Detailed examination of the burnt-out wreckage disclosed no evidence of any defect or malfunction which might have contributed to the accident. A loss of tail rotor effectiveness occurred for reasons which have not been determined.

The pilot was a member of the RAAF Richmond Gliding Club and was attending a camp, held annually by the club at various locations in western New South Wales, to gain experience at cross-country gliding.

Examination found no evidence of mechanical defect or malfunction which might have contributed to the accident. There was no evidence of pilot incapacitation.

VH-IQY was working, in conjunction with a number of stockmen on horses or motorcycles, to muster cattle some 20 km northwest of the station homestead. At about 1040 hours, the aircraft made a number of steep dives to tree-level, apparently to move cattle adjacent to a creek. After the last dive, it was observed to pullup to an estimated height of 400 feet, then stall and dive to the ground.

At approximately 1853:30 hours EST on 10 July, 1978, Partenavia P68B aircraft registered VH-PNW, with a crew of two and one passenger aboard, became airborne from Runway 26 at Essendon Airport, Victoria, and climbed to a height of 200 to 250 feet. Co-incident with the raising of the wing flaps from the take-off position and a simulated failure of one engine, the aircraft assumed a nosedown attitude and continued straight ahead on a descending flight path. The aircraft crashed into houses 286 metres beyond the western end of the runway. Six persons on the ground were killed, and one person received minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed and the three occupants were seriously injured.

Pilot allowed glider to descend out to sea. Stalled at low speed, diced steeply into sea.

Aircraft crashed into rice crop at high speed in a 30 deg nose down wings level attitude in fog. Cause undertermined.

The pilot commenced aerial spraying operations at about 0620 hours and, by 0920, he had completed four flights. He made no further flights during the day until about 2000 hours when he commenced the first of two flights required to spray a tomato crop. He had previously sprayed this crop on some four occasions during the previous two months. The weather was fine and warm, the wind was calm, there was no cloud and the end of daylight was at 2109 hours.

The pilot was visiting Karratha on business in his twin engined aircraft and he agreed to a request to take a friend and another local resident for a flight in the Karratha area. The three men met at Karratha aerodrome and at about 0945 hours, before proceeding to the aircraft, the pilot advised the Flight Service Officer on duty at Karratha that he would be making a local flight. Written details are not required for such flights and none were submitted. The pilot also advised that he did not require a radio watch to be kept on the «;ht for search and rescue purposes. At 0958 hours the pilot reported to the Karratha Flight Service Unit by radio that the aircraft was taxying for a local flight and that Runway 08 would be used for take-off. There was no further communication with the aircraft.

At 1125 hours Central Standard Time on 3 March, 1975 a Beech D55 'Baron' aircraft, registered VH-TYM struck the ground during an attempted 'go-around' from a landing approach at Parafield Airport, South Australia. The aircraft was virtually destroyed by impact forces and subsequent fire and the five occupants were killed.

A detailed examination of the wreckage disclosed no evidence of any pre-existing defect or malfunction of the aircraft which may have contributed to the accident.