Date
Media Contact alt
1800 020 616

Aircraft Accident - Cirrus SR-22, near M7 Motorway at Cecil
Park, NSW on

5 February 2007

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is seeking the
public's assistance in locating a missing panel from an aircraft
that crashed last week at Cecil Park in Western Sydney.

The Cirrus SR-22 aircraft crashed around 4:30 pm on Monday 5
February, just near the M7 Motorway at Cecil Park, seriously
injuring the American pilot and his Australian passenger.
Investigators from the ATSB attended the scene and noticed that a
panel that should be located on the rear of the aircraft was
missing. Yesterday (Sunday 11 February), about 100 NSW SES
personnel kindly assisted in conducting an extensive search in the
area, however, they did not find the panel.

The panel is of fibreglass construction, is rectangular in shape
with rounded corners, measures 35 x 43 cm (14 x 17 inches) and is
painted gloss white on one side. Markings on the panel include hand
written part numbers on the inside and a printed warning decal on
the outside (see attached pictures of a similar panel). The decal
reads:

"Warning - Rocket for parachute deployment inside - Stay clear
when airplane is occupied"

The panel is an important piece of evidence required for the
investigation of this accident.

Anyone who may have seen the aircraft near the M7
Motorway last Monday afternoon or who may have seen a panel
matching the description provided is asked to call the ATSB
urgently on: 1800 020 616