ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 352109
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Friday 1 March 2024 |
| Time: | c. 14:45 LT |
| Type: |  Zenith CH-801 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | VH-8OI |
| MSN: | 86284 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | Bunbury Airport (BUY/YBUN), Bunbury, WA -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Bunbury Airport, WA (BUY/YBUN) |
| Bunbury Airport, WA (BUY/YBUN) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
A Zenith CH-801, amateur built, crashed at the end of the runway at Bunbury Airport (BUY/YBUN), Bunbury, Western Australia.
The pilot died of his injuries on 4 March the aircraft was written off.
The aircraft was on it’s first flight. The builder’s usual test pilot was unavailable, so the builder elected to do the first flight himself. Takeoff was from 07. A very experienced crop duster witnessed the flight and reports that the aircraft did not get above 200 feet. At a distance too far for him to hear engine noise, it looked to him as though there was a significant loss of power. The aircraft then turned left before a left wing drop that appeared to be a stall, before he lost sight of it behind trees. He estimated that there was an 8 knot crosswind component from the right - thus, the left turn increased ground speed by 16 knots compared to a right turn. On inspection, there was a very smooth turf farm to the left, the accident site was just outside the boundary fence in an undulating grass paddock with some areas of low shrub. The witness opinioned that the best chance would have been straight ahead or an into wind turn and immediate landing at a lower ground speed, rather than a turn to the left with increased ground speed, presumably aiming for the more distant turf farm. The builder’s usual test pilot described the engine as a modified O-360, using automotive ignition and fuel injection, but retaining the carburettor as an alternate fuel system.
Sources:
https://www.9news.com.au/national/bunbury-airport-pilot-is-fighting-for-life-after-a-light-plane-crash/a1aac36f-17be-470b-876b-fcc394744067
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-01/plane-crash-bunbury-airport-authorities-responding/103536362
https://www.casa.gov.au/search-centre/aircraft-register?search_api_fulltext=8OI
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-05/bunbury-airport-plane-crash-pilot-dies-in-hospital/103545882
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 01-Mar-2024 10:12 | rroland | Added |
| 01-Mar-2024 10:15 | ASN | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 01-Mar-2024 10:20 | ASN | Updated [Time, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 02-Mar-2024 14:49 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, Category] |
| 04-Mar-2024 07:07 | Anon. | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Narrative] |
| 04-Mar-2024 07:08 | ASN | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 04-Mar-2024 07:09 | 3204Cedric | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Source, Narrative] |
| 05-Mar-2024 06:13 | Anon. | Updated [Total fatalities, Source, Narrative] |
| 30-Mar-2024 06:28 | Saccani | Updated [Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation