Selected Australian Accidents/Incidents 1 October – 28 December 2020

1813
Aquila AT01 near Carcoar, NSW, 4 November, 2 deaths. Source: ATSB

Date 1 October
Location Jandakot Airport, WA
Fatalities 0
Description Training helicopter made hard landing after uncommanded yaw and several  rotations during low hover. Student and instructor uninjured

Date 6 October
Aircraft  Aeroprakt A22LS Foxbat 
Location Iveragh, Qld
Fatalities 0
Description Aircraft went out of control during a touch-and-go landing and impacted a barbed wire fence.

Date 15 October
Aircraft  American Legend AL18 Super Cub
Location Wellwood Station, western NSW
Fatalities 0
Description Gust of wind led to ground loop that resulted in tail-dragger aircraft flipping inverted on runway.

Date 23 October
Aircraft  Airbus A320
Location Brisbane Airport, Qld
Fatalities 0
Description  During take-off  about 40 kt a right engine ‘stall’ warning sounded, and aircraft yawed to the right. The crew rejected the take-off.  Borescope inspection found damage at tips of some blades in the compressor section. Engine was replaced.

Date 25 October
Aircraft  Cessna 140
Location Caboolture Airport, Qld
Fatalities 0
Description Aircraft  flipped inverted following heavy  braking after touch and go landing was abandoned.

Date 31 October
Aircraft  Kavanagh B-425
Location Near Maitland, NSW
Fatalities 0
Description Passenger carrying balloon failed to climb after release and travelled about 100 m downwind at 50 ft AGL before striking trees.

Date 4 November
Aircraft  Aquila AT01 (A210)
Location Near Carcoar, NSW
Fatalities 2
Description Aircraft collided with terrain under unknown circumstances during training flight, killing  student and instructor.

 Date 14 November
Aircraft  Aeroprakt A-22LS Foxbat
Location Cromer, NSW
Fatalities 0
Description Aircraft damaged beyond repair after landing in a sporting field in northern Sydney suburb on a training flight. Minor injuries to instructor and student.

Date  23 November
Aircraft  Cessna 150
Location Near Mount Mercer, VIC
Fatalities 0
Description Instrument rated private pilot decided to make precautionary landing after encountering cloud and airspeed unreliability/pitot icing during cross country flight. Pilot saw and avoided wire fence late on final, but aircraft hit another fence during landing rollout.

Date 28 November
Aircraft  Airbus A320/Jabiru J-230-D
Location Ballina Airport ,NSW
Fatalities 0
Description Airprox between airliner approaching Ballina runway 06 and private aircraft tracking south. TCAS alert sounded and  A320 passed beneath Jabiru.

Date 30 November
Aircraft Jabiru  SP6
Location Near Stanley, Tasmania
Fatalities 0
Description Aircraft force landed in a field after a loss of engine power soon after take-off. Nose gear collapsed and pilot was injured but was able to walk away and report crash.

Date 2 December
Aircraft  Robinson R44
Location Near Tallong, Southern Highlands, NSW
Fatalities 2
Description  Helicopter crashed for unestablished reason on training flight. Wreckage found in remote area near Shoalhaven River.

Date 8 December
Aircraft  Jabiru SP470
Location West  Sale Airport, Vic
Fatalities 0
Description Nose wheel strut collapsed after touch-and-go landing in gusty conditions. Propeller struck runway.

Date 19  December
Aircraft  Ekolet KR-030 Topaz
Location Maryborough Airport, Qld
Fatalities 0
Description Touchdown damaged landing gear of light sport aircraft.

Date 22 December
Aircraft  Robinson R44
Location Near Clare, SA
Fatalities 0
Description Pilot of agricultural helicopter heard loud bang and experienced control difficulties on approach to land near refuelling vehicle. Refueller saw tail rotor stop and helicopter began rotating and collided with refuelling vehicle.

Aircraft  Dyn’Aero MCR-01 VLA
Location Near Serpentine Airfield Perth, WA
Fatalities 1
Description GA-registered light sport aircraft crashed on approach during test flight after maintenance, killing the pilot. He had returned to Australia after having been laid off as an airline pilot in the US due to COVID-19.

Sources: Aviation Safety Network, Australian Transport Safety Bureau, RA-AUS