ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 663
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| Date: | Wednesday 1 October 2003 |
| Time: | 11:40 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-23-250 Aztec |
| Owner/operator: | Jedda Aviation |
| Registration: | VH-WAC |
| MSN: | 23-7405260 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1974 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 1 km WSW Mareeba, Aero., QLD -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Mareeba, Queensland |
| Roma, Queensland | |
| Investigating agency: | ATSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The ATSB's final investigation report into the Piper Aztec accident which killed a family of five near Mareeba, Queensland on 1 October 2003, has found that the pilot was probably incapacitated as a result of a cardiac event.
The pilot, his wife and three children were conducting a private flight from Mareeba, Queensland to Roma, Queensland in the Piper PA-23-250 Aztec aircraft, registered VH-WAC. Prior to departure, the pilot was observed conducting pre-flight activities, including an aircraft inspection, refuelling the aircraft, and engine run-ups.
A witness, located in a shed north of the eastern end of the runway, reported that he briefly saw the aircraft early in its take-off roll on runway 28, at which time the engines sounded normal. No witness was in a position to see the point on the runway at which the aircraft became airborne.
Another witness, facing south in the cab of stationary truck, on a road about 90 metres beyond the end of runway 28, and about 150 metres north of the extended runway centreline, saw the aircraft fly over that road. He thought the
aircraft was at an unusually high nose-up attitude, and was between 100 and 150 feet above ground level (AGL). He reported that the landing gear was retracted. He then saw the aircraft start to bank to the left and the nose-up attitude reduce to a more reasonable angle.
Another witness, located about 2 km north-east of the departure end of the runway, watched the aircraft from shortly after take-off until it reached a left bank angle of about 45 degrees. He then looked away from the aircraft, and when he looked back, all that could be seen was a large plume of black smoke.
Another witness, a boy about 10 years old, was about 150 m beyond the end of runway 28. He said that after the aircraft became airborne, it rocked from left to right, with the left bank angle gradually increasing. He said that the left wing then `snapped’, referring to a rapid movement upwards, but did not separate from the aircraft, and the aircraft then descended rapidly to the ground.
Both the boy and another witness about 700 m south of the departure end of the runway described engine noise consistent with normal operation, while two witnesses about 4.5 km north of the departure end of the runway reported that the engines sounded like they were `struggling’. The witness located 700 m south of the departure end of the runway heard two popping sounds immediately before a loud bang and then saw a large plume of black smoke
The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and post-impact fire. All five person on board (pilot and four passengers) were killed.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. ATSB Occurrence Nr. 200304091 at https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/24410/aair200304091_001.pdf
2. https://www.atsb.gov.au/newsroom/2005/release/2005_01.aspx
3. NTSB Identification: LAX04WA006 at https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20031009X01688&ntsbno=LAX04WA006&akey=1
4. http://www.airliners.net/photo/Jedda-Aviation/Piper-PA-23-250-Aztec-E/2342565
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Jan-2008 10:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 09-Aug-2016 16:15 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
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