Date 3 March
Aircraft Evektor Sportstar SL
Location Gympie (ALA)
Injuries Minor
Description During landing, the aircraft bounced multiple times. On the second bounce, the pilot applied full power to commence a missed approach. The right wing was high resulting in the aircraft overbanking and turning 180 degrees. The aircraft crashed resulting in substantial damage.
Date 4 March
Aircraft Aeroprakt A22LS Foxbat
Location Yinnietharra Station (ALA)
Injuries Minor
Description During landing, the rudder pedals were locked in position and the aircraft started veering to the right. The pilot applied full power and lost directional control resulting in the wing tip hitting the ground. The aircraft sustained substantial damaged. The post-accident inspection revealed a foreign object was lodged under the rudder pedals.
Date 4 March
Aircraft Piper PA-34-200T
Location Camden Aerodrome
Injuries Nil
Description The crew of the Piper PA-34 were unable to receive radio calls from ATC and the controller used light signals to clear the aircraft to land. The aircraft then landed hard resulting in substantial damage and a missed approach was made.
Date 7 March
Aircraft Evektor Sportstar plus
Location Naracoorte Aerodrome
Injuries Serious
Description During a banking turn, an unsecured bag fell onto the flight controls and jammed the flight stick. The aircraft hit a powerline and crashed resulting in substantial damage.
Date 9 March
Aircraft Robinson R22 BETA
Location Charters Towers Aerodrome
Injuries Unknown
Description During aerial mustering, the helicopter lost power and crashed resulting in substantial damage.
Date 11 March
Aircraft Murphy Rebel
Location Batchelor (ALA)
Injuries Unknown
Description During approach, the engine failed, and the pilot made a forced landing. During the forced landing, the aircraft came to rest upside down resulting in substantial damage.
Date 14 March
Aircraft Eurocopter EC135 P2+
Location near Port Hedland Heliport
Injuries Fatal
Description During approach to pick up a marine pilot from a bulk carrier departing Port Hedland, the helicopter was seen crashing into the water. The flight was at night under the VFR. One member of the flight crew died while the other received minor injuries. The investigation is continuing.
Date 16 March
Aircraft CubCrafters Cc11-100 LSA
Location Lucindale (ALA)
Injuries Minor
Description During landing, the aircraft veered off the runway and crashed into trees. The aircraft was substantially damaged.
Date 18 March
Aircraft Amateur built VAN’S RV-6A
Location Somersby (ALA)
Injuries Serious
Description During landing, the aircraft ran off the runway and hit trees. The investigation is continuing.
Date 19 March
Aircraft Bell 206L-3
Location Port Macquarie Aerodrome
Injuries Minor
Description During aerial survey operations, the helicopter hit a powerline and the crew made a precautionary landing. One passenger was struck by the broken powerline resulting in minor injuries. The helicopter sustained minor damage.
Date 21 March
Aircraft Eurocopter EC120B
Location Hamilton Island Aerodrome
Injuries Fatal
Description During approach, the helicopter hit the water and subsequently sank. Two passengers were killed and two passengers sustained minor injuries. The investigation is continuing.
Date 21 March
Aircraft Aeroprakt A22LS Foxbat
Location near Quilpie Aerodrome
Injuries Serious
Description The aircraft hit trees resulting in substantial damage.
Date 24 March
Aircraft Cessna 340
Location Lilydale (ALA)
Injuries Unknown
Description During landing, the aircraft overran the runway and crashed. The aircraft was substantially damaged.
Date 24 March
Aircraft Robinson R44
Location Leeton (ALA)
Injuries Minor
Description During aerial agricultural operations, the helicopter hit a wire and crashed. The helicopter was substantially damaged.
Date 24 March
Aircraft Jabiru J170C
Location Coffs Harbour Aerodrome
Injuries Unknown
Description During approach, the engine failed and the crew made a forced landing in a paddock resulting in substantial damage to the landing gear and one wing.
Date 27 March
Aircraft Robinson R22 BETA
Location Delamere Station (ALA)
Injuries Unknown
Description During take-off, the rotor wash blew the fuel hose around the skid and the helicopter crashed.
Date 28 March
Aircraft Slipstream Revelation
Location Toowoomba Aerodrome
Injuries Fatal
Description The aircraft crashed and was substantially damaged.
Date 30 March
Aircraft Kavanagh G-525
Location near Cessnock Aerodrome
Injuries Serious
Description During landing, the balloon hit a tree resulting in substantial damage. Four passengers sustained serious injuries and nine passengers received minor injuries. The investigation is continuing.
Date 1 April
Aircraft Flight Design CTLS
Location Jindabyne (ALA)
Injuries Minor
Description During landing, the aircraft veered off the runway. The pilot commenced a missed approach and crashed. The aircraft was substantially damaged.
Date 1 April
Aircraft Piper PA-28-151
Location Bankstown Aerodrome
Injuries Unknown
Description During initial climb, the engine failed due to fuel starvation and the pilot made a forced landing. While landing, the aircraft crashed resulting in substantial damage.
Date 11 April
Aircraft Gradient s.r.o. Golden 2
Location Torquay (ALA)
Injuries Serious
Description The paraglider crashed resulting in serious injuries to the pilot.
Date 14 April
Aircraft Cessna 172D
Location Wondai (ALA)
Injuries Nil
Description During descent, the engine lost power and the crew made a forced landing. The post-flight inspection revealed the fuel vent was blocked by small insect wax residue resulting in fuel starvation to the engine.
Date 17 April
Aircraft Garlick UH-1H
Location Talbingo (ALA)
Injuries Serious
Description The helicopter crashed and was destroyed, with the pilot sustaining serious injuries. The investigation is continuing.
Date 18 April
Aircraft ELA 08
Location Bundaberg Aerodrome
Injuries Fatal
Description The aircraft crashed, and the pilot was killed.
Date 23 April
Aircraft Cessna 172N
Location Redcliffe (ALA)
Injuries Minor
Description During landing, the pilot lost directional control and ground looped. The aircraft veered off the runway resulting in substantial damage.
Date 27 April
Aircraft Cessna 172N
Location Perenjori (ALA)
Injuries Nil
Description During initial climb, the engine failed and the pilot made a forced landing. The aircraft subsequently crashed resulting in substantial damage.
Date 4 May
Aircraft Jabiru SP500
Location Bundaberg Aerodrome
Injuries Minor
Description During a forced landing, the nose wheel dug into the soft ground resulting in the aircraft coming to a rest upside down. The aircraft was substantially damaged.
Date 7 May
Aircraft Robinson R22 BETA
Location Alpurrurulam (ALA)
Injuries Serious
Description During aerial mustering operations, the helicopter crashed and was destroyed.
Re the 14 April Cessna 172 fuel starvation incident at Wondai ALA, is there any data to explain why the secondary vent in the fuel cap did not take over the tank venting function?
These vented caps were retrofitted to many of the earlier Cessna types and would be significant wide spread issue if the fuel cap vents were not proving effective.