ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 199545
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| Date: | Friday 8 September 2017 |
| Time: | 19:57 |
| Type: |  Diamond DA40NG Diamond Star |
| Owner/operator: | Australian International Aviation College |
| Registration: | VH-YPQ |
| MSN: | 40.N292 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2016 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Port Macquarie Airport (YPMQ), NSW -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Port Macquarie Airport, NSW (PQQ/YPMQ) |
| Port Macquarie Airport, NSW (PQQ/YPMQ) | |
| Investigating agency: | ATSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On the evening of 8 September 2017, an instructor and student from the Australian International Aviation College were preparing to conduct night training circuits at Port Macquarie Airport, New South Wales, in a Diamond DA40 NG aircraft, registered VH-YPQ. As it was the student’s first time conducting night circuits, once lined up on the runway, the instructor took the aircraft controls for the take-off.
After take-off, as the aircraft climbed, the instructor heard and felt the engine and propeller surging. Propeller speed and engine power fluctuations occurred from about 200 ft above the runway and increased in amplitude as the aircraft climbed to about 400 ft. Recorded data showed that the engine was producing full power despite the fluctuations. The instructor interpreted the fluctuations as a partial engine power loss and commenced a left turn, aiming to return and land on the runway in the opposite direction to the take-off. The instructor had considered landing straight ahead but assessed that there was power available to turn and that they would be unable to see and avoid trees or to be sure to land in a suitable clearing ahead.
In the 10 seconds that the instructor was assessing and making decisions about a perceived partial power loss, the airspeed reduced from 75 to 69 kt due to the aircraft’s nose-up pitch attitude. Then, at the same time as commencing the turn back towards the runway, the instructor reduced engine power to 30 per cent, while maintaining a nose-up attitude, and the airspeed reduced rapidly.
During the turn, the aircraft aerodynamically stalled resulting in a loss of control. Although the aircraft pitched down and the instructor subsequently increased the power, control was not regained. The aircraft descended and collided with trees, coming to rest inverted. The student and instructor were seriously injured, and the aircraft was destroyed.
What the ATSB found
After reducing the power, the instructor did not maintain adequate airspeed during the turn. This resulted in an aerodynamic stall, loss of control and collision with terrain.
The aircraft manufacturer could not determine the reason for the engine speed fluctuations. Propeller speed fluctuations had occurred in other aircraft, and either resolved without pilot input or by moving the power lever.
Although not contributing to this occurrence, in the course of the investigation it was found that engine cylinder heads for the aircraft type were cracking prior to reaching their service life.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
[LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/one-person-trapped-another-treated-for-injuries-after-light-plane-crash-near-port-macquarie/ar-AArvxOb?li=AAgfIYZ]
https://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-stories/2017/09/09/man-critical-following-light-plane-crash.html
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-08/port-macquarie-plane-crash-leaves-one-trapped/8887638
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/vh-ypq
http://www.regosearch.com/search/results/?&co=au&Nf4=regholdname&Of4=eq&Vf4=AUSTRALIAN+INTERNATIONAL+AVIATION+COLLEGE+PTY+LTD&adv=on
Media:
Man critically injured near Port Macquarie Airport in plane crash. https://t.co/sBUBXNfqm7 #7News pic.twitter.com/MA6xl0NHqW
— 7 News Sydney (@7NewsSydney) September 9, 2017
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-Sep-2017 22:03 | Geno | Added |
| 09-Sep-2017 07:46 | Bidgee | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Nature, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Damage] |
| 12-Oct-2022 19:02 | harro | Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Embed code, Narrative, Accident report] |
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