The Piper Cherokee was being flown from Jamestown SA, to Kilfera
Station, NSW where the pilot and passenger were to attend a field
day. Witnesses at the property reported seeing the aircraft fly
overhead and join the circuit on the downwind leg, for a landing in
a westerly direction. The final approach was described by witnesses
as being slightly high and fast, with the aircraft touching down
approximately one third, to half way along the 900 m airstrip.
After a short ground roll, the engine noise was heard to increase
and the aircraft became airborne just before the end of the
airstrip. Although the aircraft adopted an unusually nose-high
attitude, it did not appear to be gaining height.
The left wing of the aircraft struck a radio mast approximately
8.5 m above ground level. The outboard section of the left wing and
aileron were separated 1.25 m from the wingtip. The aircraft rolled
to the left and passed through the upper foliage and branches of a
large tree. The aircraft continued to roll inverted and collided
with the ground. An intense post-impact fire consumed the aircraft
wreckage and an adjacent building. The pilot and passenger
sustained fatal injuries.
The homestead and property buildings were situated beyond the
western end of the airstrip. The radio mast was approximately 104 m
beyond the end of the airstrip, 32 m to the left of the extended
runway centreline. There was no windsock at the landing area, nor
was there a requirement for one. The pilot was experienced in
remote area operations and had operated from property airstrips on
many previous occasions.
On-site examination of the aircraft wreckage did not reveal any
pre-existing defect that may have contributed to the circumstances
of the occurrence. Propeller slash marks on the tree were
consistent with the engine operation described by witnesses. The
flaps were in the fully extended position and the intensity of the
post-impact fire indicated that a substantial amount of fuel had
been onboard. The aircraft's weight and balance was assessed as
being within approved limits at the time of the accident.
The Area 22 forecast issued by the Bureau of Meteorology
indicated that the aircraft would have encountered a tailwind on
the easterly track to Ivanhoe, with fine conditions enroute. The
aerodrome forecast for Ivanhoe predicted a light southeasterly wind
of approximately 10 knots. It was not possible to determine whether
the pilot had obtained this information prior to departure from
Jamestown. No activity had been recorded on the pilot's Avfax
briefing account for the day of the accident.
Photographs taken immediately after the accident provided
evidence to support witness observations of wind velocity. It was
estimated that there was a downwind component of approximately 10
knots at the time of the approach and landing. Although there was
no windsock available, the pilot should have been familiar with
alternative methods of determining wind velocity. It is possible
that the pilot's perception of the wind direction was influenced by
the tailwind conditions that he had encountered enroute.
The aircraft's climb performance would have been substantially
degraded with full flap extended and the nose-high attitude
described by witnesses. In that configuration, the pilot would have
experienced difficulty in accelerating the aircraft to a safe
flying speed. The aircraft's nose-high attitude during the climb
would have obstructed the pilot's forward vision and he may have
been unaware that the aircraft had diverged from the extended
centreline of the airstrip.