Bird strikes 50
Wildlife strikes 7
Wire strikes 1
Date 23 February
Aircraft Piper PA-38-112
Location Currandooley (ALA)
Injuries Minor
Description During initial climb, the aircraft crashed.
Date 27 February
Aircraft Schempp-Hirth Flugzeugbau VENTUS-2c
Location Beverley (ALA)
Injuries Nil
Description During an out-landing, the glider encountered a strong thermal and the pilot aborted the landing and turned right. Shortly after turning, the glider encountered sink and crashed. The glider sustained substantial damage.
Date 27 February
Aircraft Cessna 172M
Location Middalya Homestead (ALA)
Injuries Nil
Description During cruise, the engine failed and the pilot made a forced landing.
Date 3 March
Aircraft Finmeccanica AW139
Location Lithgow Medical (HLS)
Injuries Serious
Description During winching operations, rotor wash from the helicopter caused a tree branch to break. The branch subsequently struck the patient being winched, resulting in serious injuries.
Date 4 March
Aircraft Piper PA-28-161
Location near Cessnock Aerodrome
Injuries Minor
Description During take-off, the engine failed and the aircraft clipped a tree and crashed resulting in substantial damage.
Date 5 March
Aircraft AirDesign Gliders
Location Gunnedah Aerodrome
Injuries Fatal
Description The paraglider crashed.
Date 5 March
Aircraft American Champion 8KCAB
Location near Moorabbin Aerodrome
Injuries Nil
Description During training operations while in a spin, the engine failed and the crew restarted the engine in-flight. The engineering inspection revealed the engine induction coupling from the engine cowl to the airbox was partially detached.
Date 9 March
Aircraft Diamond Aircraft DA 40
Location Adelaide Aerodrome
Injuries Nil
Description During cruise, the pilot became temporarily incapacitated and subsequently entered controlled airspace without a clearance.
Date 11 March
Aircraft Piper PA-28-161
Location Leongatha (ALA)
Injuries Nil
Description During cruise, the VFR aircraft inadvertently entered IMC.
Date 13 March (image above)
Aircraft Robinson R44
Location Naracoorte Aerodrome
Injuries Minor
Description During aerial agricultural operations, the helicopter hit a powerline and crashed. The investigation is continuing.
Date 14 March
Aircraft Cessna 172N
Location Narrogin (ALA)
Injuries Nil
Description During landing, the aircraft veered off the runway and crashed into a ditch. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
Date 16 March
Aircraft Jabiru SP-T 500
Location Herberton (ALA)
Injuries Nil
Description During landing, the aircraft encountered windshear and landed hard resulting in substantial damage.
