Date: | Friday 26 April 1991 |
Time: | |
Type: | Lockheed P-3C Orion |
Owner/operator: | Royal Australian Air Force - RAAF |
Registration: | A9-754 |
MSN: | 185-5662 |
Year of manufacture: | 1978 |
Engine model: | Allison T56-A14 |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
Category: | Accident |
Location: | ca 2km N off Cocos Islands Airport (CCK) -
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
|
Phase: | Initial climb |
Nature: | Military |
Departure airport: | Cocos Islands Airport (CCK/YPCC) |
Destination airport: | |
Narrative:Took off from Cocos Island and commenced a right hand climbing turn to a height of 5,000 ft above mean sea level (AMSL). The aircraft was then placed into a shallow dive and positioned for a low level pass across the airfield. As the aircraft crossed the runway at 380 knots indicated airspeed and 300 ft AMSL, the pilot began a straight pull-out from the dive with all engines at full power. At this point, eyewitnesses saw a number of items separate from the aircraft. These items were later identified as wing leading edge components. A shallow climb was then achieved with the aircraft vibrating violently. The pilot attempted to complete a circuit preparatory to landing but height could not be maintained and the aircraft was ditched into the shallow water of the lagoon.
Sources:
P-3 Orion Aircraft Location Report (P-3 Orion Research Group - The Netherlands)
US Navy and US Marine Corps Aircraft Serial Numbers and Bureau Numbers--1911 to Present / Joe Baugher Further structural investigations into the collapse of the wing leading edges of Orion A9-754 / DSTO report DSTO-TR-0008
Location
Images:
photo (c) Tim Creevey; near Cocos Islands Airport (CCK); 26 April 1991
Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |