ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 29162
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| Date: | Saturday 22 March 1975 |
| Time: | 10:26 |
| Type: |  Slingsby T.61 Falke A |
| Owner/operator: | The Gliding Club of Victoria |
| Registration: | VH-GZO |
| MSN: | 1742 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Lake Mokoan, near Benalla, VIC -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Benalla, Victoria |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Crashed near Benalla, Victoria 22/03/1975: both pilot and passenger killed.
VH-GZO was a self launching glider. It was fitted with an engine which was used for take-off and initial climb and which was then normally closed down until further required. Mr. Eddy was a senior gliding instructor and, to conduct training in this type of aircraft, he was required to hold at least a current private pilot licence in addition to his gliding certificate. He obtained a private pilot licence on 16 February, 1972 but this licence expired on 30 November, 1973 and had not been renewed.
At about 08:30 hours on the day of the accident Mr. Eddy completed a dally Inspection of VH-GZO and he certified that the aircraft was safe for flight. Between 0910 and 1000 hours he made a dual instructional flight in the aircraft during which the pupil pilot, who then accompanied htm, made a number of practice out landings followed by several touch and go landings at Benalla. At the completion of this flight it was arranged that a flight would then be carried out to enable Mr. Charles to undergo training in outlandings.
Shortly after the aircraft departed it was seen flying westward, near the southern side of Lake Mokoan, at a height of about 1000 feet apparently with the engine operating. It then turned slightly to the left, entered a steep dive and pulled up into a loop. It completed three successive loops, losing height progressively,and at the completion of the third loop It was at a height of about 80 feet above the ground. It then climbed steeply again as if to carry out another loop and, as it climbed, its speed fell off rapidly. The nose then dropped, the aircraft entered a steep dive and it struck the ground in a near vertical nose down attitude.
A detailed examination of the wreckage disclosed no evidence of any pre-existing defect or malfunction. The cause of the accident was that an acrobatic manoeuvre was commenced at an unsafe height of the aircraft which may have contributed to the accident.
Sources:
https://www.atsb.com.au/media/24846/197502848.pdf
http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/t61.htm
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2008 01:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 03-May-2013 13:44 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 03-May-2013 13:48 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Narrative] |
| 10-Jun-2022 02:52 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
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