ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 213885
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| Date: | Saturday 14 June 1975 |
| Time: | 07:34 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-28-235 |
| Owner/operator: | |
| Registration: | VH-WIK |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Scone, NSW -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | YSCN |
| YBCV | |
| Investigating agency: | BASI |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot intended to proceed from Scone to Mount Isa, with an intermediate landing at Charleville and, at about 0400 hours, he obtained the appropriate area meteorological forecasts by telephone. The forecasts indicated low cloud down to ground level in the mountainous areas near Scone but improving conditions further north. The pilot did not hold any instrument rating and was therefore restricted to flight under the Visual Flight Rules.
At about 0630 hours he arrived at Scone aerodrome and, with assistance, prepared the aircraft for flight. Three mining machinery wheels, each weighing 63.5kg., were to be carried on the flight and two were placed in the foot wells in front of the rear passenger seats. The third wheel was placed in the luggage compartment behind the rear seats and was secured to the frame of the seats by rope. The pilot telephoned the briefing office at Bankstown and submitted details of the flight plan which he had prepared.
The aircraft took off from Scone at about 0710 hours but radio communication was not established with any Airways Operations Unit. There was extensive low cloud in the area at this time. At about 0730 hours an aircraft was heard circling on the southern side of the Liverpool Range in the Wybong Valley. It was observed to be at a very low level in conditions of reduced visibility and extensive low cloud. Shortly afterwards it went out of sight and a crashing noise was heard. At 0733 hours the pilot of an aircraft operating in the area at 9000 feet had heard an unidentified 'Mayday' radio call. A ground search was immediately commenced but was initially hampered by cloud at ground level and an aerial search was commenced when the cloud began to break. At about 1330 hours the surviving passengers, aged nine and six years, were found by a member of a ground party and at 1425 hours the wreckage of VH-WIK was located by a searching aircraft.
Examination of the wreckage disclosed no evidence of any defect or malfunction which may have contributed to the accident. The aircraft had struck a densely timbered slope whilst turning away from rising ground and it had come to rest in an upright attitude. The machinery wheel from the luggage compartment had broken free on impact and had struck the occupants of the front seats. The survivors confirmed that the visibility from the aircraft had been restricted by 'fog' and the pilot had made a 'Mayday' call just prior to the accident.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1975/aair/aair197501345/
https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/24686/197501345.pdf
Images:
Photo: BASI
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 31-Jul-2018 12:04 | Pineapple | Added |
| 16-Nov-2018 20:23 | harro | Updated [Photo] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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