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Posted
Just now, naremman said:

Hi Roundsounds/

 

From memory it would have been either 1971/72. There was a Fly-in at Northam, possibly for the opening of the currently located airstrip.

 

The aircraft as a PA28 /140 from the Narrogin Flying Club which was to take part in a womens' fly past. The pilot was  Bev Jeffery, who had just attained her licence, and had three passengers on board..

 

As I recall she was following a Tiger and Chippy who commenced their take off run from where the taxiway enters the runway, forsaking the  extra 600'  back to the threshold. The preceeding got away OK, but the Cherokee with 4 up on a hot summers day was a different proposition. It impacted the trees just beyond the upwind threshold of 14, burnt, with no survivors.

 

I have been involved with both Narrogin and Northam over the years and it is an incident that has not been forgotten by either aviation community. John Douglas was the then CFI at Narrogin, and JD was fervent that everybody took lessons from this this particular incident. Doug Dawson could bang the same same drum just as loudly.. In all the times I have departed 14 at Northam has there not  been an occasion that I have not backtracked and launched from the threshold!!

 

I do recall that this incident was covered in the Air Safety Digest.

 

Ironically, a Bev Jeffery Memorial Trophy was established by NFC for the best student attaining a RPPL, which my late first wife won in 1982, learning to fly in our Airtourer, and a replica trophy still is on display on the mantlepiece alongside my silverware.

 

This still gives you a bit more homework Roundsounds, but a little bit more to go on.

 

Safe flying.

Roundsounds,

 

Mr Google raises this entry from the Narrogin Cemetery:

 

Jeffery, Beverley Faye. Died 14 November, 1971, aged 19 years.

 

Taken in flight in the aeroplane she loved.

  • Informative 2
Posted
18 minutes ago, pmccarthy said:

All the crash comics can be downloaded here https://collections.heritageoftheair.org.au/items/browse?page=2

 

Good work guys, collectively I think we have this one nailed.

 

ASD 83, First Link in the Chain.

 

Whilst it might be thread drift, sitting in the left seat of an aircraft with none too startling performance the lesson  should be a universal. What is one of the three most useless things in aviation, THE RUNWAY BEHIND YOU makes up 331/3% of the quote.

 

I commenced my training at NFC in 1973, and heaven help us if we did not have available every inch of the runway, Good preparation for many years flying an Airtourer 100.

  • Informative 1
Posted

I had a mate Lenard Mansfield, who worked on the aircraft at the Milperra factory back in the early 60s. He had a full set of the plans of the aircraft at his place (across from me) I remember seeing them...back in the day.

Bernie.

  • Informative 1
Posted

Hooray, I finally found the article about the crash, in the ASD - it was not covered until Feb 1973, and the article is titled, "The Final Link in the Chain". There were only 3 victims in this crash, not 4.

 

Infuriatingly, no aircraft registration is given anywhere, and the crash is not on any air crash database. It may be hidden in some BAS records somewhere.

 

Remarkably, the entire takeoff and flight sequence just prior to the crash was photographed by a professional photographer.

 

The flying was part of a large air event at Northam, and multiple aircraft flown by women were taking off in line, as part of a flypast.

 

It seems that inadequate event instructions and a level of confusion about runway and taxiway lengths, were all part of the sad chain of events - coupled with the tender age and inexperience of the young woman flying the Cherokee 140, and her lack of knowledge regarding the performance of her aircraft with 2 other passengers aboard.

 

https://www.atsb.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/5774780/asd_83_feb_73.pdf

  • Like 1
Posted

Anyhow near obstacles reduce effective runway length  so apply them.

   Always found the 140 pretty gutless and not that useful other than training one person. Nev

  • Informative 1
Posted

Re the PA28-140 crash at Northam, there appears to be only the one newspaper report of the crash - in the Canberra Times, on the following Monday.

 

Incredibly, another PA28-140 crashed at Narromine on the same day as the Northam crash - and this crash killed all 4 occupants, all men.

 

The Northam crash - https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110687661

 

The Narromine crash - https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110688031

Posted

The lack of coverage is a Trove thing. It does not index most commercial papers after 1952 due to copyright limitations.

  • Informative 1
Posted

How does one get to be able to copyright FACTS and information? Surely one has a right to know what happened?  Nev

  • Agree 1
Posted

I think some publishers have their own searchable subscription services for more recent papers. So it is a commercial thing. I don't know whether there is a rolling time limit or how it works, but there seems to be a growing resource of more recent material on Trove.

 

  • Like 1
  • Informative 1
Posted (edited)

I thought the date was 1955 for increased copyright protection over many works, but there are a wide range of variations in copyright definitions and terms.

 

There may be a desire to know facts and information as a right, but if someone writes an article, even if it's just retelling facts and providing information, it is immediately and automatically covered by copyright - just as everything you write personally on forums is your copyright.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_expiration_in_Australia

 

Edited by onetrack
Posted

Have made a start of the Static Cling that I got from Autobarn. Getting it around the curvature of the Canopy is the difficult part.

I have made a template using light cardboard. Will then cut the Static Cling from that. Trying to do it so I don't get any overlap on the curvature.

Easier said then done.

  • Like 1
Posted

The remaining question is does the cling film bubble on Lexan like ‘sticky’ film does ?
Of course you can always take it off and put it back on again if it does.

 

Skippy may be able to advise his experience with cling film and any bubbling.

  • Like 1
Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, RocketShip said:

Have made a start of the Static Cling that I got from Autobarn. Getting it around the curvature of the Canopy is the difficult part.

I have made a template using light cardboard. Will then cut the Static Cling from that. Trying to do it so I don't get any overlap on the curvature.

Easier said then done.

Its not easy - depending on curvature, you may have to cut a slot or three.

 

Once done will stay in place as long as you want it to - easy to remove.

 

Make sure you put the reflective side up.

 

Good luck

 

Just read CC's post - no bubbles if you have purchased the perforated static film.

Edited by skippydiesel
  • Like 1
  • Informative 1

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