ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 597
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| Date: | Monday 20 February 1995 |
| Time: | 11:00 LT |
| Type: |  North American T-28D |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | VH-LAO |
| MSN: | 200-391 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Valley Field, 1km N Launceston, TAS -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Launceston, Tasmania |
| Point Cook, Victoria | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Pylon racing was conducted at Valley Field, south of Launceston, from 14-19 February, 1995. Following completion of the races five T-28 aircraft were to be flown back to the mainland from Launceston. The plan was for the T-28s and a PA-31 to return to the mainland in loose formation. The role of the PA 31 was to provide search-and-rescue support in the event of a T-28 ditching. On the morning of the accident the formation leader briefed the pilots involved. Takeoff was to be in formation pairs, spaced a short time interval apart. The first two pairs were to be T-28 aircraft.
The pilot of VH-LAO asked to be in the last pair which meant flying in formation with the accompanying PA-31 aircraft. The flight was briefed as a normal departure, no mention was made of the performance of any aerobatic manoeuvres, nor did the pilot of VH-LAO discuss this possibility with any of the other formation members.
The formation takeoff on runway 32 proceeded as planned with the pairs taking off at 15-20 second intervals. Due to the performance of the PA-31 being lower than the T-28, the climb speed of the last pair was limited to about 120 knots. Observers reported that the third pair made a normal takeoff and initial climb, with the T-28 to the left of the PA-31.
At a height of about 500-600 feet the nose of VH-LAO was seen to rise and the aircraft started
rolling to the left. The left roll continued with altitude remaining about the same until the aircraft had rolled inverted. At about that stage of the roll, the nose started to drop. After about 270 degrees of roll, the aircraft's attitude was very nose-low and the rate of roll had decreased.
Observers indicated the pilot appeared to be trying to recover from the dive, but there was insufficient altitude to regain level flight before the aircraft, still 10-15 degrees nose-down, struck the ground. Some witnesses thought the engine continued to operate at about the same power as
at the start of the manoeuvre, but one person indicated the power was cut while on the final descent.
Note: Official accident report lists the c/no as "55-138320" which is, in fact, its USAF service serial number (it was originally delivered to the US Navy as Bu Aer No 138320)
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1995/aair/aair199500444.aspx
www.atsb.gov.au/media/24872/ASOR199500444.pdf
http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries16.html
https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/24872/ASOR199500444.pdf
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Jan-2008 10:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 18-Sep-2011 17:14 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 03-Apr-2018 13:52 | Pineapple | Updated [Total fatalities, Source, Narrative] |
| 07-Jun-2022 12:11 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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