Selected Australian accidents and incidents 2 April to 30 June 2023

2 April

• Aircraft: Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee
• Location: Near Proserpine, Qld
• Fatalities: 2
• Description: Low-hours pilot, wife and unborn child killed when aircraft struck terrain near end of cross-country flight.

4 April

• Aircraft: Robinson R44 Raven II
• Location: Bingegang, Qld
• Fatalities: 1
• Description: Helicopter doing mustering crashed after wire strike.

26 April

• Aircraft: Boeing 777-233LR
• Location: Sydney Airport, NSW
• Fatalities: 0
• Description: Air Canada flight suffered birdstrike during flight from Vancouver to Sydney. Damage noticed by ground crew after shutdown. Left engine No. 5 slat and air bleed duct replaced.

29 April

• Aircraft: Glaser-Dirks DG-400
• Location: Near Bendigo, Vic
• Fatalities: 0
• Description: Motor glider landed in field after engine stopped and was damaged.

3 May

• Aircraft: Morgan Aeroworks Cougar
• Location: Armidale Airport, NSW
• Fatalities: 0
• Description: Light sport aircraft struck terrain during missed approach, reportedly in gusty conditions. Father and son trapped in wreckage and injured.

12 May

• Aircraft: Magni Gyro M-16C Tandem Trainer
• Location: Lake Macquarie Airport, NSW
• Fatalities: 0
• Description: Soon after take-off, instructor took evasive action to avoid collision with Extra 300 aeroplane. Gyrocopter struck ground and was substantially damaged.

21 May

• Aircraft: Piper PA-28-235
• Location: Mareeba, Qld
• Fatalities: 0
• Description: Aircraft force landed in banana plantation after engine stopped seconds after take-off. Two occupants had
• minor injuries.

27 May

• Aircraft: Robinson R22 Beta II
• Location: Wagga Wagga Airport, NSW
• Fatalities: 0
• Description: Aircraft made heavy landing during autorotation practice, causing post-impact fire. Skids splayed under impact as designed. Solo pilot slightly injured.

6 June

• Aircraft: Boeing 717
• Location: Hobart Airport, Tas
• Fatalities: 0
• Description: At 3,000 feet on approach, captain smelled chlorine odour and felt hypoxia-like symptoms. First officer took control at captain’s request and felt similar symptoms on short final. Aircraft landed without incident.

8 June

• Aircraft: Saab 340B
• Location: Near Merimbula Airport, NSW
• Fatalities: 0
• Description: Crew experienced stick shaker on approach
• to airport.

16 June

• Aircraft: Cessna 210L
• Location: Groote Eylandt Alyangula Airport, NT
• Fatalities: 0
• Description: Aircraft had engine issues soon after take-off and pilot attempted return to runway. Aircraft struck terrain on approach and crashed inverted. Four of 6 onboard injured.

22 June

• Aircraft: Bombardier Global 6000
• Location: Adelaide Airport, SA
• Fatalities: 0
• Description: Wing of business jet arriving from Singapore struck runway on landing.

26 June

• Aircraft: Gyroplane
• Location: Cobar, NSW
• Fatalities: 1
• Description: Gyroplane struck powerlines and crashed.

27 June

• Aircraft: Robinson R22 Beta II
• Location: Limbunya Station, NT
• Fatalities: 1
• Description: Helicopter struck terrain while mustering.

29 June

• Aircraft: Boeing 717
• Location: Sydney Airport, NSW
• Fatalities: 0
• Description: Aircraft returned to departure airport after smell of smoke in cockpit.

30 June

• Aircraft: Robinson R22 Beta II
• Location: Jandakot, WA
• Fatalities: 0
• Description: Helicopter toppled onto left side during hover/landing on training flight. No injuries, minor damage.

Sources: Aviation Safety Network, RA-Aus, ATSB