Cessna down with 4 on board

[bull]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/reports-of-plane-crash-south-of-gladstone/news-story/3c6a5995b9e8d6be301459ccc4d4fcbc

[kgwilson]

Sad to hear someone has died. It sounds like they had an emergency as it was reported a Pan Pan call was made. Possibly they hit soft sand and flipped. The grainy photo seems to show furrows in the sand leading to the aircraft which is now upright.

 

 

[acro]

[MartyG]

Sad news, Hope the others pull through ok

 

 

[Guest john]

The Pilot is in Bundy Hospital at present undergoing an operation on his broken leg, but according to his wife who is at the hospital the pilot has spoken to his grandkids today which indicates that he is in good spirits at present. He may have to be transferred to Brisbane for further medical treatment once he is stabilised. Knowing this bloke for many years he is a tough bugger, & now that he is looking at 4 walls this will give him a lot of time to think about his remaining days on this planet which we all hope will be many.

 

 

[Yenn]

Aeroplane Beach by the look of it and way up in the soft sand. I have landed there many times in the last 20 years. Good hard sand below high tide mark. The company doing flights into there has been active for many years and have also used the mainland beach East of Jenny Lind Creek. I didn't like the look of that area.

 

I wonder if the Epirub activated or was the only advice from the other aircrafts Pan call.

 

A look at the history of this company might answer some questions.

 

 

[SSCBD]

I heard he clipped a tree, low flying. Will stand corrected if wrong. , Please let me know if anyone knows, exactly what caused the crash or what did the others see and say in the other aircraft.

 

Very bad day for the pax.

 

 

[cooperplace]

I very much hope that it wasn't low flying and clipping a tree that caused this accident. A young lady lost her life, others are very seriously injured.

 

 

[Happyflyer]

I heard he clipped a tree, low flying. Will stand corrected if wrong. , Please let me know if anyone knows, exactly what caused the crash or what did the others see and say in the other aircraft.Very bad day for the pax.

Interestingly the Cessna in question is owned by...........

LOW FLYER INVESTMENTS PTY LTD 18A Seaspray Dr AGNES WATER QLD 4677 Australia

 

There were plenty of passengers and therefore witnesses who will all be interviewed because of the death. The truth will come out, eventually.

 

 

[OzScot]

Reports of an engine failure and a couple more photos here:

 

Middle Island plane crash: Engine failure likely cause - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

 

Very sad indeed.

 

M

 

 

[cooperplace]

on their website 1770 say:

 

"In respecting the due process of several investigations and in not wanting to preempt the outcome of those inquiries, we cannot offer any comment regarding the circumstances of the accident and we would ask that the privacy of all concerned be respected at this very difficult time"

 

but here:

 

EXCLUSIVE: Plane owner reveals moments before fatal crash

 

the owner of 1770 is quoted as saying that it was an engine failure and describes the pilot as a hero.

 

 

[acro]

looks like the leading edge has copped a hit on the W

 

 

[cscotthendry]

Sad.

 

I have flown with Bruce and landed on that beach with him. There is nothing inherently dangerous about landing on that beach (if you know what you're doing) and he and Woody have done it many times. I send my condolences to the family of the deceased, and a shout out in support for Bruce and Woody. I hope the others get well soon also.

 

 

[pylon500]

Prop doesn't look like it was developing much power at impact.

 

 

[Kiwi Greg]

A very sad end to an adventure for all involved. Thought I would check out the 1770 Castaway website - there is a very interesting video which shows the aircraft having a very close encounter with a wayward cardboard box while taxiing out of the hangar.

 

 

[vixen]

Interestingly the Cessna in question is owned by...........LOW FLYER INVESTMENTS PTY LTD 18A Seaspray Dr AGNES WATER QLD 4677 Australia

 

There were plenty of passengers and therefore witnesses who will all be interviewed because of the death. The truth will come out, eventually.

Are you sure Mr. Happy?... My app says Wyndham Aviation P/L, of the same address.

 

 

[kaz3g]

One is owner and one is operator

 

 

[vixen]

One is owner and one is operator

Thanks Kaz

 

 

[Love to fly]

Interestingly the Cessna in question is owned by...........LOW FLYER INVESTMENTS PTY LTD 18A Seaspray Dr AGNES WATER QLD 4677 Australia

I never understand the purpose of posts like this. A lady died in this crash and others are injured. Flippant comments re the choice of business names doesn't add to anyone's understanding of how the crash occurred. And could add to the angst of people involved. Sorry .. but that's just how I see it.

 

 

[turboplanner]

I never understand the purpose of posts like this. A lady died in this crash and others are injured. Flippant comments re the choice of business names doesn't add to anyone's understanding of how the crash occurred. And could add to the angst of people involved. Sorry .. but that's just how I see it.

There is nothing flippant about the comments, and not a very satisfactory explanation of the serious crash so far.

If this aircraft was low flying then the pilot stands a good chance of facing a manslaughter charge; if there was an engine failure, it would be in his interests to have a more detailed description of where it occurred.

 

Either way, there are some lessons to be learnt here, particularly since there has been a chequered history of beach landings in RA in recent years.

 

 

[David Isaac]

Beach landings like all 'off field' landings have associated risks that we should all be aware of. Carrying passengers in such endeavours increases the associated risks.

 

 

[Yenn]

This is not an RA problem. It was a commercial enterprise.

 

If there was an engine failure it would be possible to hit a tree on the forced landing approach. This beach is behind a very steep hill which is visible in the photo, then a strip of dry sand and then a strip of wet sand suitable for landing. The approaches to the area are along a long sandy beach and given that they would not have timed to arrive at a time when the tide was high, there was plenty of forced landing sites available. From the end of the long beach there is Jenny Lind Creek, then the steep sided Bustard Heads, with ocean one side and low scrubby trees on the landward side. Any sensible approach would put you over the ocean rather than the scrub, with a steep slope to one side on the approach, plus the soft sand.

 

I did hear several years ago that a dodgy flying video was posted and that a pilot lost his flying rights for some time because of it. Not the pilot who is in hospital I am certain, but part of the company.

 

 

[turboplanner]

This is not an RA problem. It was a commercial enterprise.

Does that mean there are no lessons for the RA pilots?

 

 

[cooperplace]

apparently the pilot had no time for a call; is this surprising? if you had a couple of thousand feet, wouldn't you have plenty of time to set up for a beach landing and make a call?

 

 

[cooperplace]

Does that mean there are no lessons for the RA pilots?

there are lots of lessons for all of us, surely?