March 2021 Outlook Newsletter

DerekB29/03/202107/10/2021

The March 2021 edition of Outlook AHSA News has been emailed to members.

A copy can also be downloaded from the Newsletter archive here on the website. Click on the link below to open this edition:

Outlook AHSA Newsletter Volume 37 Number 2 March 2021

1929 de Havilland DH.60 Moth A7-19 of 1 Sqadron RAAF crashed while attempting to land at Wangaratta, Victoria on 7 March 1929. There was 1 fatality and the aircraft caught fire and was destroyed. Sources: ADF-Serials website; aviation-safety.net website

1944 Avro Anson Mk I AW485 of 1 AOS RAAF crashed at Maclean, 30 miles SSW of Evans Head, NSW on 07 March 1944. The aircraft was reported to have disintegrated in mid-air - possibly the result of loss of control in cloud. There were 5 fatalities and the aircraft was destroyed. Sources: ADF-Serials website; aviation-safety.net website

1950 Avro Lincoln B Mk 30 A73-44 of 82 Wing RAAF crashed at Amberley, Queensland on 7 March 1950 during a second pilot familiarisation flight. There were 4 fatalities and the aircraft was written off. Sources: ADF-Serials website, aviation-safety.net website

1992 Evans VP-1 Volksplane VH-BFG operated crashed at "Turalla", 2km NW of Bungendore, NSW on 07 March 1992. There was 1 fatality and the aircraft was destroyed. After take off, the aircraft was observed in a nose high attitude at 200-300 feet. It was later observed to commence a steep descent while spinning to the right. The aircraft impacted the ground, right wing low, in a near vertical attitude. Autopsy results indicate that the pilot suffered a physical incapacitation prior to impact. Sources: ATSB website; aviation-safety.net website

1999 Bell 47J-2A Ranger VH-THH crashed 1 nm south-west of Temptation Bore, SA on 7 March 1999. There were 2 fatalities and the aircraft was written off. The helicopter was being ferried by two pilots from Lyndock SA to Kings Creek Station NT over a period of 3 days. Refuelling stops were planned for Port Augusta, Roxby Downs, Coober Pedy, Cadney Park if required, and Kulgera. Additional equipment was also carried, including a ground refuelling hose and pump unit, aircraft manuals, hand tools, additional engine oil, water, and seven 20 L jerry cans of fuel. The flight was uneventful to Cooper Pedy where a flight plan was lodged nominating Cadney Park and Kulgera as landing points. The helicopter subsequently departed at about 0730. When it failed to arrive at Cadney Park or Kulgera, a search was initiated. The burnt-out wreckage of the helicopter was located 2 days later in flat, open, sparsely timbered country, approximately 152 NM from Coober Pedy, close to the direct track to Kulgera. The accident was not survivable. Sources: ATSB website; aviation-safety.net website

2001 On 7 March 2001 the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport and Regional Services, Mr John Anderson, described Australia's airline safety record as outstanding, noting that Ansett was the second safest airline in the world and Qantas the third. He appointed Air Vice Marshall Neil Smith to the CASA Board. Source: House of Representatives, Debates, Question Time, p. 25275. via aph.gov.au website

2003 At Melbourne Airport on 7 March 2003, United Airlines flight 815, a Boeing 747, with 162 aboard, ran off the taxiway after a loss of steering control. There were no injuries. Source: Australian, 8 March 2003, p. 7. ATSB Occurrence Report, 21 April 2004. via aph.gov.au website

2005 Cessna 310R VH-FIN operated by Crane Air Pty Ltd crashed 7 km WSW Tamworth, Aiport, NSW on 07 March 2005. Approximately 1 minute after becoming airborne, the pilot reported flight control difficulties. At about 1329, the aircraft impacted the ground in a cleared paddock. The pilot was fatally injured and the aircraft was destroyed by the impact forces and post-impact fire. Examination of the aircraft's mechanical flight control systems, autopilot and electric trim system did not reveal any evidence of pre-impact malfunction. Those results, however, were inconclusive due to the extensive impact and fire damage. A bent hand tool found in the wreckage was not implicated in the development of the accident. A periodic maintenance inspection carried out in the days before the flight resulted in the rudder trim tab being set at the full right position and possibly aileron and elevator trim tabs being set at non-neutral positions prior to the flight. There were indications that the pilot was rushed and probably overlooked the rudder and aileron trim tab settings prior to takeoff. The aircraft flight path reported by witnesses was found to be consistent with the effect of abnormal rudder and/or aileron trim tab settings. Sources: ATSB website; aviation-safety.net website

2008 Zenith Zodiac CH-601XL VH-ZRS crashed into the sea, 1km east of Main Beach, QLD on 07 March 2008. The pilot and the passenger were fatally injured. Recreational Aviation Australia (RA-Aus) commenced an investigation into the occurrence. RA-Aus requested assistance from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) in order to examine several pieces of canopy from the aircraft. The examination revealed that the canopy had sustained an in-flight structural failure. Sources: ATSB website; aviation-safety.net website