ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 159
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Thursday 6 January 2005 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Air Tractor AT-802A |
| Owner/operator: | Aussie Aerial Services |
| Registration: | VH-BQN |
| MSN: | 802A-0085 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1999 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 2.7 km ESE Wynella Station, QLD -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | Wynella Station, Queensland |
| Wynella Station, Queensland | |
| Investigating agency: | ATSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On 6 January 2005, the pilot of an Air Tractor AT-802A aircraft, registered VH-BQN, was spraying insecticide on a cotton crop on Wynella Station, 41 km south of Dirranbandi, Queensland. The aircraft departed the station airstrip at about 20:05 Eastern Standard Time to commence spraying operations and impacted the ground at 20:35.
The pilot was fatally injured, and the aircraft was destroyed by fire. There was no evidence that the aircraft was not capable of normal operation at the time of the accident. The pilot had substantial agricultural and general flying experience, but had only recently completed night agricultural flight training.
The accident occurred after the end of nautical twilight, there was no moon, and there was a band of cloud over Wynella station. There was virtually no ground lighting in the area. Post-mortem examination identified severe atherosclerotic narrowing of all three coronary arteries.
The lack of recorded and witness information, and the destruction of the cockpit by fire, prevented the investigation from conclusively identifying the factors that contributed to the development of the accident.
However, the combination of pilot inexperience in night agricultural operations and the dark night conditions increased the risk of an accident."
NTSB Conclusions:
1. The aircraft collided with level terrain in a nose-low, wings-level attitude.
2. The pilot was inexperienced in night agricultural operations.
3. There was minimal ground and celestial lighting available to assist the pilot in maintaining external visual reference.
4. Post-mortem examination identified severe coronary heart disease.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2005/aair/aair200500004.aspx
2. http://aircrashed.com/cause/cDFW05WA051.shtml
3. http://www.atsb.gov.au/media/1362316/aair200500004_001.pdf
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Jan-2008 10:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 13-Apr-2014 22:39 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 08-Jun-2022 08:54 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation