ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 213801
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| Date: | Monday 14 May 1973 |
| Time: | 11:52 |
| Type: |  Cessna A185E Skywagon |
| Owner/operator: | Geraldton Fisherman's Co-op Ltd |
| Registration: | VH-ELQ |
| MSN: | 185-1078 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1966 |
| Engine model: | Teledyne-continental IO-520 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | West Wallabi Island, Abrolhos Islands, WA -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi |
| Departure airport: | YGEL |
| West Wallabi Island, Houtman Abrolhos, WA | |
| Investigating agency: | BASI |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The aircraft was engaged In amphibious operations and was equipped with two landing floats, each fitted with a nose wheel and a main landing wheel. The wheel units, normally extended for surface operations on land, are designed to retract into recesses in the floats and it is essential that they be in the retracted position whenever the aircraft alights on water. The position of the wheel units at any particular time is indicated to the pilot by lights in the cockpit. Additionally, the position of portions of the mechanism for retracting and extending the wheel units can be viewed from the cockpit through a small clear panel on the top of each float. After taking off from Geraldton Airport, the aircraft proceeded direct to West Wallabi Island, a flight of some 57 miles. Before landing the pilot circled the area of calm water on which he proposed to alight, adjacent to the small settlement of West Wallabi. It was his normal practice to check the position of the wheel units whilst the aircraft was on the downwind leg of the circuit before landing, but he cannot recall having done so on this occasion. The approach was made with the flaps set to 30 degrees and, before touchdown, the aircraft was held off at a low height with the throttle closed. The aircraft contacted the water at a speed of about 45 knots and immediately pitched forward violently, decelerating rapidly. The nose down change of attitude continued and the aircraft came to rest partly inverted in water some three feet deep. The cabin area was intact and was not immersed. A boat was quickly on the scene and after some minor difficulty in releasing the passengers, who were suspended strapped in their seats, the aircraft was evacuated. When the aircraft was subsequently examined, the wheel units were found to be in the down position. It has not been possible to determine at what point during the flight this undercarriage configuration was selected. The indicating light for the up position of the port wheel was not operative, but this would not prevent the pilot from ascertaining the position of that wheel. There was no other malfunction of the aircraft or its systems which could have contributed to the occurrence.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1973/aair/aair197305325/
https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/25078/197305325.pdf
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 8 October 2004 | VH-ELQ | 0 | Nerang River, QLD | |
sub | |
| 9 January 2010 | VH-ELQ | Cloud 9 Seaplanes | 0 | Southport Aerodrome, South Stradbroke Island, QLD | |
sub |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 30-Jul-2018 02:14 | Pineapple | Added |
| 17-Jun-2023 01:56 | Ron Averes | Updated |
| 05-Oct-2023 06:52 | Ron Averes | Updated |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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