ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 58904
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: | Sunday 17 March 1974 |
| Time: | 14:27 |
| Type: |  Cessna 182Q Skylane |
| Owner/operator: | Darwin Parachute Club |
| Registration: | VH-EQU |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Batchelor Airstrip, NT -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Parachuting |
| Departure airport: | Batchelor, NT (YBCR) |
| Investigating agency: | BASI |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Per eyewitness report from surviving skydiver Mr Ross Millard:
"Aircraft departed in company with another aircraft for return ferry to Darwin. Suffered total engine failure shortly after liftoff. Experienced pilot initiated a sharp left turn to return back to airstrip. Aircraft stalled and impacted not far from runway end. Two killed on impact, other two seriously injured but survived. Three passengers were two skydivers (no gear) and one visiting female tourist from england. The English tourist and one skydiver in the rear survived the accident."
According to the summary from the official ATSB report into the accident:
"The starboard door and all seats except that for the pilot had been removed from the aircraft for parachuting operations to be undertaken at Batchelor. Safety belts were provided on the floor adjacent to the pilot's seat and at two other positions in the cabin. During the morning the pilot flew the aircraft from Darwin to Batchelor and he experienced some difficulty in maintaining radio communications.
Throughout the day the aircraft made a number of parachute dropping flights over Batchelor aerodrome and it was flown by Mr. Luckie on six of those occasions. After the parachuting was completed the aircraft was refuelled and the pilot, in view of his earlier communication difficulties, arranged to follow Cessna aircraft VH-BWM on the return flight to Darwin. At approximately 1425 hours whilst VH-BWM was preparing for take-off, the pilot of that aircraft saw VH-EQU standing with the engine running, facing his own aircraft from a position across the runway.
VH-BWM then took off to the south-east and shortly afterwards, the pilot visually checked the runway but could not see VH-EQU. He assumed that the aircraft had taken off and was behind him but, some 12 minutes later, having neither seen nor heard VH-EQU he queried Darwin as to its whereabouts.
Attempts to contact VH-EQU by radio and Batchelor by telephone were equally unsuccessful and an aircraft was diverted to Batchelor to search. At 1627 hours [on 17 March 1974] the wreckage of VH-EQU was located in an area of relatively dense timber 137 metres beyond and 91 metres to the left of the end of Runway 14 at Batchelor. The aircraft had struck the ground at a relatively low speed whilst in a steep nose down, left wing down attitude. The evidence indicates that the aircraft sustained a substantial, but unexplained, loss of power at a low height after take off."
The four persons on board were:
Frederick John LUCKIE (pilot, aged 32, killed)
Trevor John LAMONT (passenger, killed)
Wendy DURRANT (passenger, survived, seriously injured)
Ross MILLARD (passenger, survived, seriously injured)
BASI Conclusion:
The probable cause of this accident was the occurrence of a major engine power loss when the aircraft was at a low height after take off and over timbered terrain. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. Eyewitness report (above)
2. https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1974/aair/aair197404553.aspx
3. https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/24842/197404553.pdf
Images:
Photo: BASI
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-Mar-2009 22:05 | Ross Millard | Added |
| 25-Apr-2014 04:37 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Cn, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 16-Nov-2018 19:59 | harro | Updated [Phase, Narrative, Photo] |
| 07-Jun-2022 12:23 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
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