The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has commenced a transport safety investigation into a collision with terrain accident involving a Cessna 172 aircraft near Camden Airport, on Wednesday afternoon.
Shortly after take-off from Camden, the aircraft descended and collided with terrain approximately 3 km west of the airport while conducting circuit operations.
The ATSB will deploy a team of transport safety investigators from its Canberra and Brisbane offices, specialising in aeronautical engineering, aircraft maintenance and operations.
Investigators will conduct a range of evidence-gathering activities on site, including site mapping, wreckage examination, and recovery of any aircraft components for further examination at the ATSB’s technical facilities in Canberra.
Investigators will also seek to interview any witnesses and involved parties, and collect relevant recorded information including flight tracking data, as well as pilot and aircraft maintenance records, and weather information.
The ATSB asks anyone who may have witnessed or has photos or video footage of the aircraft at any phase of the flight to make contact via the witness form on our website: atsb.gov.au/witness at their earliest opportunity.