The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has commenced a transport safety investigation into an accident involving an amateur-built light aircraft at Tinamba West, Victoria, on Saturday.
As reported to the ATSB, the aircraft collided with terrain in a paddock and was destroyed in a post impact fire.
The ATSB is deploying to the accident site a team of transport safety investigators from its Canberra office, specialising in aircraft operations and maintenance.
Investigators will conduct a range of evidence-gathering activities on site, including wreckage examination and recovery of any relevant aircraft components for further examination at the ATSB’s technical facilities in Canberra.
Investigators will also seek to interview any witnesses and collect relevant recorded information including any 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.
The ATSB anticipates publishing a preliminary report, detailing the information collected in the investigation’s early evidence gathering phase, in about six to eight weeks.