Help a failing memory - NSW Cessna 210 crash and a NSW Ag accident?

[ramble on]

Hi all,

Don't want to be too morbid, but may I ask for some help?

1. Back around Christmas 1990 a Cessna 210 (VH-PLD) that was out searching for a crashed 152 (VH-BUO?) went down near Lake Burragorang due to a crankshaft failure. 4 of the 6 on board didn't survive the forced landing in tall trees. The two who made it out were student pilots.

Does anyone know whether these two were able to continue on with their aviation careers? I lost a good mate in the accident (the front right seat - AH) and would also like to get back in touch with his family if anyone has any info.

2. Also back in the mid 90's I met a young kid from a mid western NSW cropdusting family at the Nowra parachute club. He was doing an accelerated free fall course and was an all around brilliant young kid with huge heart. I was devastated to hear he was later killed on takeoff in an ag aircraft - engine failure & heavy weight. Does anyone recall this accident (97-98?) or the young guys name?

Grateful for any PMs.
Thanks very much, R.O.

[Brian Abraham]

Official report VH-PLD http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1990/aair/pdf/aair199002036.pdf
One of the survivors was a young lass who went on to fly around Australia in a R-22. A TV doco was made of the trip. See here Allana Arnot (1967-), Australian Pioneer Aviatrix (http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/allana_arnot_bio.html)

[Jabawocky]

The Best I Can Be is a book well worth reading.

Having met her many years ago, she has an amazing story. The book is inspirational and her new life in Tasmania I think is a testimony to her resolve.

I would like to think I had the same stuff she has....never want to test it.

J

[KRUSTY 34]

I remember it like it was yesterday.

I knew AH, the right seat pilot, but I was quite good friends with Peter Whitehurst the PIC. What a tragic and sad state of events.

What people may not know, was that this story had more twists than a cheap novel. Now some-one please correct me if I'm wrong, but I recall that the C-152 they were searching for with a 20 year old grade three instructor and his 18 year old ab-initio female student in fact had their crash witnessed by persons in another aircraft. Apparently both aircraft were taking turns flying at very low level over a smooth lake Burragorang, when the C-152 came to grief. The aircraft quickly sank, and as there appeared to be no survivors, the "old mate" in aircraft No2 simply flew away and didn't tell anyone. Media later reported that the reasons for his action were because he was a QF Cadet and didn't want his career jeapodised by these events!

After the loss of PLD, he was unable to live with himself, and only then did he inform the authorities. It was a short time later that BOU was brought to the surface. Personally I remember thinking it was probably in the dam all along, as it was only a training area flight, and it seemed to have simply vanished.

I'll tell you, fact can be stranger than fiction. Does anyone know what happened to the other pilot? I'd say it would be certain his Qantas days were over before they began. :(

[bentleg]

Now some-one please correct me if I'm wrong. I recall that the C-152 they were searching for with a 20 year old grade three instructor and his 18 year old ab-initio female student in fact had their crash witnessed by persons in another aircraft.

BASI issued an Aircraft Occurrence Report Report No 199002035 about VH-BUO on 24/12/1991, which is not online.




http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k129/bentleg/VH-BUO/VHBUOP1.jpg
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k129/bentleg/VH-BUO/VHBUOP2.jpg
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k129/bentleg/VH-BUO/VHBUOP3.jpg

[KRUSTY 34]

Thanks Bentleg.

Even though it seemed like yesterday, I guess it was nearly 20 years ago! I thought the timeline between the disappearance of BUO and the crash of PLD was greater.

I recall the media making something of the QF cadet link and the pilot of the other aircraft. If I have incorrectly cast aspertions on the other pilot, then I most humbly appolgise. :sad:

[Keg]

Krusty, you're not far off the mark. A few things from my perspective. Many of the recollections below will be somewhat distorted by the nearly 20 years since the prang. Some of it is also supposition based upon discussions with various AIRTC members who were close to the detachment, the people involved, and the coronial inquest. Some of these discussions were years after the events. When this all happened I had just turned 20 and had a UPPL.

I was good mates with Rob Holmes who was one of the spotters in the second row of PLD and subsequently died before he could be extracted from the wreckage. Rob had recruited me into the AIRTC (as it was then) as a staff member when we met whilst I was learning to fly with the Scouts and he was instructing with the Air League. I was one of his pall bearers at his funeral which was between Christmas and New Year. I can picture that day very clearly.

I had finished a night shift when I heard that an aircraft had gone missing from Camden the afternoon before. I actually phoned the tower and asked them directly if it was an AIRTC aircraft that was missing as I'd known that there was a flying camp on. They told me it was and so when my night shift finished I drove to Camden to offer assistance arriving about 0900 or so.

Rob approached me to ask me to be a spotter on PLD but when he discovered that I'd just come off night shift he came back a bit later and indicated that they'd found someone else and that I should go home and sleep. I watched them take off and then left Camden. I got home about 90 minutes later to the phone ringing and a colleague from the Scouts asking me 'what the f&*king hell had been going on down there' as another aircraft had just gone in. I asked him what it was and when he told me it was a C210 I hung up on him and the afternoon became a blur of phoning my FLTCDR (who was also Rob's FLTCDR) and trying to find out information.

Indeed the crew of BUO was an 18 year old Cadet Warrant Officer by the name of Angeline (Angelina?) Neal. She was from Canberra. A bloke who I later worked with frequently in the AIRTC/ AAFC was her FLTCDR and had to tell her parents about the missing aircraft. The flying instructor was 19 if I recall and male. The other aircraft was either a QF S/O or QF cadet- I thought he was a S/O. The student pilot on the other flight was my room mate from my cadet JNCO course a couple of years earlier. Both names escape me but I'm pretty sure I'd know them if someone mentioned them.

The sortie was the last day of course on what I remember as being a beautiful summer's afternoon and so perhaps that sense of euphoria contributed to the prang.

I've not ever heard that the other aircraft saw them go in. Indeed I seem to recall it was at least a few months after the accident before the wreckage was located and so I think your part of the story about the instructor of the other aircraft coming forward may not be correct. I'd always understood that they'd 'lost contact' with the other aircraft in the manner described in the BASI report and although they suspected what had happened, weren't sure and so didn't say. However, I suspect that Pete Whitehurst may have also had an inkling/ been briefed on the possibility of what had gone wrong. It's the only reason i can think of that they were so far out of their designated search area (heading toward the dam) when they had the engine failure.

Absolutely there were some issues regarding supervision. The BASI report is actually very light on I subsequently found out some stuff about the way the flying camps were conducted by the OIC that makes my blood boil. Crazy stuff like clutch boxes in LGS (trucks) being trashed due to cadets driving them up and down the runway in the middle of the night (with a staff member in the truck at the same time) and a few other things as well. Certainly, after the fact I found out that aircraft departing 'in company' (which I took to understand as formation) to low fly past the phone box on the island off the spit in the burragorang was not an unusual occurrence. The OIC of the activity was overseas for much of the coronial enquiry (convenient) and thus the coronial enquiry didn't get to examine some aspects of the BUO prang that I felt were particularly pertinent. I've never read a copy of the findings but would like to do so. I certainly have significant disdain for the OIC and to this day believe that his actions/ inactions and the culture that he oversaw contributed directly to the prang of BUO.

Allana featured on one of those shows in the last few years whereby survivors of serious accidents are reunited with their rescuers. The paramedic who winched into the PLD crash site was featured also.

Anyway, that's about it from me on this one. Sorry if some found this boring.

[fencehopper]

i was working at camden during that period and as others have already told the story i'll just add it was a sad couple of days that left me a little shell shocked so to say. One thing i do clearly remember about the scouts was that the whole operation came across as a little to loose for my liking. three aircraft almost came together whilst taxying. nuff said there. Other comments are pretty spot on about the other aother aircraft that wittnessed the crash.
FH

[KRUSTY 34]

Thanks Keg.

Small industry isn't it! And no, your post was far from boring, and as should be with these sort of things, hopefully lessons can be learned, even years later.

The time-line for the location/recovery of BUO is interesting. I know it was quite a while before the main wreckage was recovered, but I must admit I wasn't aware they had located the general area of the crash site as early as the next day!

As for you being sent home? In the last 25 years I've spent in this game, I've looked back and wondered "what if" a few times as well.

Fragile thing life.

regards,

Krusty.

[bogdantheturnipboy]

I am pretty sure they found VH-BUO a couple of weeks later- 2nd week of Jan I think.

fencehopper - it wasn't the scouts it was the Air Training Corps. I think Alana was sued as she called them Air League in her book.

I was also at Camden on that day and used to be in AIRTC. The story I was told was that the second plane didn't see BUO go down but lost sight of it over the Lake. There definitely was a slack culture amongst some students and instructors ie, flying in formation and flying low.

I knew Andrew, Angeline and Rob. It was definitely one of the worst experiences of my life.

[Keg]

Technically both correct. IIRC it was the Scout AOC but the actual conduct of the flying camps was purely supervised by (then) AIRTC personnel. Having known the CFI of the Scouts pretty well I think he would have been appalled had he known the sort of crap that was going down on those flying camps. Whilst I didn't have much experience back then, I do recall there being a very different culture between the way the AIRTC operated on their flying camps (from discussions and observations) and the methodology used by the Scouts in the conduct of their operations. I'd rate the latter significantly higher than the former.

[fencehopper]

I think some of the aircraft being used had the scouts logo on the fin. but long while back... all the operations were down around the scouts hanger as well. did they share faciliteis? seem to have some memories of the aero club involvement as well instructors or aircraft maybe.. but memory again. some thoughts about the location not being nailed until the other pilot fussed up. the search was mainly directed over terrain not the dam during the early part of the search.
from memory also the 210's engine failed from throwing a counterbalance due to extended low rpm settings i also remember thinking to myself that if i was involved in a search that only to have the minimum number of people on board, the pilot concentrates on flying the aircraft and leaves the looking to the others. use a aircraft that can fly and manouver at slow speeds. I too have for some reason or another missed the wrong flight. leaves one a bit stunned but thankfull and thinking that maybe i have something more important to achieve in my future.
Must find a copy of her book does any one have details of it,
cheers and blue skies to all, moving on.
FH

[Keg]

I think that VH-MAW had the Scouts logo, as did the C172s. I don't think UQS had the logo at that time. The photos I've seen of Scout aircraft in recent times show that they've still got a Scout logo on them- albeit a 21st century version rather than the 'in your face' purple one of 20 years ago.

The Scouts and AIRTC didn't 'share' facilities per se. The AIRTC operation had it's Nissan hut towards the top of the hill and they used that for lectures, admin, etc. They may have staged some Ops out of the Scouts but I wouldn't have classified that as 'shared' operations. I always viewed it as a Scout facility/ AOC/ aircraft that the AIRTC were lucky enough to utilise for their flying activities.

As far as I know, the Scouts still run a very robust program on weekends and still enjoy excellent facilities.

[ramble on]

My gratitude and respect to you all for the PMs and the replies.

It has been a success - with your help.

Nothing ever replaces the loss, especially for the families.

[chimbu warrior]

Check your PM's.

[Brian Abraham]

Anyone know what became of Steve Curtis, the other survivor?

[Dogimed]

Steve Curtis?

The Curtis Aviation Steve Curtis?

[catseye]

Don't recall Steve Curtis having an involvement in the loss of those two aircraft. Can't remember the name of the male last row survivor but it wasn't Steve.

Last he was seen as a heavy jet sim instructor for the rat.



The Eye

[Brian Abraham]

From the above mentioned Allana website

Four people died in the crash. Only Allana and her co-passenger Steve Curtis survived.
An error??

[Keg]

Definitely an error. The other observer was a serving AIRTC cadet (not sure of rank but Leading Cadet or Cadet Corporal rings a bell). Not sure of his flying experience at the time but it wasn't unusual to have LCDTs on EFTCs at the time with significant flying time due to choosing that path in lieu of promotion courses.

[FamilyGuy]

Hi all,

I stumbled upon this thread searching for information about the tragic crash that took the life of Robert Holmes. Robert was one of my closest friends at High School, when he left school to commence work we gradually lost contact and I ended up working overseas for many years and only returned a year ago. In catching up with some old friends one of them told me of what happened to Robert.

I would appreciate it if anyone has information, memories, stories to recall about Robert. I have thought about contacting his parents but I don't want to upset or distress them, especially considering the tragic circumstances of his passing.

Many thanks in advance.

[Kickatinalong]

The families will still be greaving their losses guys , please remember this in your posts, even after such a long time, it only seems like last week to some of us. I had PLD booked for the next day, monday to take my family to Bundy, we made Qld unfortunatly not in PLD.
Kickatinalong.

[who_cares]

I studied my ATPL theory at Sydney Tafe with the instructor in the C152. I was surprised that he was so foolish that day. My recollection is that there was another aircraft that witnessed the accident.

[bentleg]

My recollection is that there was another aircraft that witnessed the accident.

If you read the report, posted earlier, there was another aircraft, but it did not witness the accident.

[BellaJayne]

My brother was one of the two survivors in the second cessna accident that occurred in the Lake Burragorang area on 22/12/1990. He has sufferred horrific physical and mental health injuries from the accident and has to re-live the end of that training camp and the outcome of decisions made everyday.

My family and I are still in contact with some members of the other families, and every christmas we draw together united in our common bond of loss and grief.

Although this thread is old, if you are still interested, I am willing to assist you reconnecting with the Hannah family, however it is not something that I will do via a public forum.
I have accepted that members can contact me, so if you would like to send me an email with information regarding who you are/were to Alan I will pass it on to the family and leave it up to them to contact you. I will send you a response to confirm that I have passed it on.

I apologise if this is not exactly the outcome/response you were hoping for, however it is all I am willing to offer to people who I don't know, in order to protect those who I do know and love.

[BellaJayne]

Keg, it might be hard to track down now days, but the coroner for this case was Kevin Wallace.

He had a long and distinguished career within the NSW coroners court and upon his retirement wrote a book called 'suddenly dead' in which he gave a brief overview of some of the more bizarre/horrific cases he had to deal with.

The aircraft tragedy from the 21 & 22 December 1990 is in that book, included with a summary of his findings.

Hope this information is of some help to you

[BellaJayne]

Can I suggest that if you know people who are still in contact with Robert's family, you do make contact with them.

If you were a close high school friend, then Robert mother would love to hear from you. Even though old friends coming back is hard, and reminds us of our loss, it gives us an opportunity to talk about them still

[catseye]

Keg,

If you need some more background send it to me by PM. I had the surviving C150 instructor in the back of the NPWS squirrel for one sortie and eventually found the first wreckage off the 150 in the western end of the Burragorang. Flight manual,strut fairing and a couple of other bits. Airframe was eventually located a long way east near the intersection of the north south arm. Some really good hydrography was done by MWSDB as there are funny currents in the lake to find it. Not to mention the Canberra psychic winding the poor mother up, Seakings, Orions dropping sonobouys and a bunch of other stuff.

Hardest thing was meeting Nigel and the female cadet's father when we landed back for another refuel knowing one female was deceased but not knowing which one. Fortunately BBBBBBaz got hold of Nigel early and got him out of there after a phone call. Cops disaster identification and processes in those days took a lot longer.

The media behaviour wasn't as good as it is today in fact bloody insensitive but the cops helo crewy fixed that with the media crew involved. They won't ever try that approach again.

Alf Tremain was the investigator ( I'm pretty sure ) and we met with him and I recall reviewing the sonar pictures of the C150 sitting on the bottom of the lake when he was writing his report.

There is also additonal info as to why people were flying around in the valley. which the MWSDB very rapidly removed.

There was a big court case run in the US which revolved around fretting in big end bolts and what was the appropriate torque. Only got that second hand so not sure if it is true.

A really CRAP few days and leading upto Christmas.

[oldfriends]

Makes me so angry...His name is not Stephen Curtis.....One would think if there are 2 survivors editors of the 'book' would get the names correct.
Him and his family have had a rough time since

[BellaJayne]

Don't get angry over the incorrect name 'Oldfriends' -it is actually a good thing because it helps add some protection to the male survivor and family from people who aren't close or only know information from a public arena which is how it needs to be. Those that know and love him and the family know how to get in touch.

[BellaJayne]

For those few of you who wanted to know, a small memorial garden and stone is located at Camden Airport (Airport Rd) to the survivors of PLD

Camden Search & Rescue Mission - Monument Australia (www.monumentaustralia.org.au) (http://monumentaustralia.org.au/monument_display.php?id=20656&image=0)

Link will take you to a webpage for various monuments around Australia

Inscription on memorial reads:

"In loving memory of Alan Hannah, Robert Holmes, Janine Watson, Peter Whitehurst who died tragically on 22 December 1990 while flying a search & rescue mission for fellow airmen Andrew Patterson, Angelene Neil."

"They slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the hand of God".

[Acjhannah]

I'm married to Alan's newphew if you want any contact with the family please let me know

Kind regards
Aimee hannah

[roundsounds]

Sorry to hear about Steve's passing.

[Acjhannah]

Unfortunately Steve passed away last year in October. He was a seat friend of m husbands family. My husband is Alan Hannah's nephew

[PJH777]

Hi Aimee,

I just ran across your post from a few years ago, Alan and I did our CPL training together around 1984 at the Royal Aero Club of NSW at Bankstown airport, at the time he had a Ford Capri, I am sure your Mother in Law would remember that little detail! We were highly competitive and were racing each other to get the final flight test done first. After Alan joined the Air Force I lost regular touch with him and was only able to catch up a few times before the sad news at christmas of 1990.

I still think of him from time to time and wonder where he might have been today if he hadn't been siting in the right seat of that unlucky C210 flight!

At least I can say that I will always remember Alan as an entertaining and interesting friend, his humour was one of a kind and only appreciated by clever souls! Often remembered but never forgotten!

[Remembering Peter]

It's nearly 25 years since the accident that changed our lives. I turned 29 and Dad turned 60 on the 22/12/1990.....it was late in the afternoon and my parents had been moving all day into their new home at Woronora. Peter lived with my husband and I, and I called Camden Aviation to let Peter know we were running late for a planned seafood bbq at home. I was told his plane had gone down and things were grim. It was the start of a nightmare for our family and all those who lost so much that day. Some things were handled OK and some things were a disgrace....my parents being ambushed at the coronial enquiry with Peter trying to be made the scapegoat with a 'pilot error' decision being one. With Christmas approaching, the anniversary of our loss on Dads and my birthday is always so sad. Mum left us some years back and I know she is happier with him than without. Blessings to those that remember such terrible time and lost so much

[Sixdeetoo]

It has been some time since this event.

There are still many who remember vividly and always find Christmas difficult.

For myself as one of the Cadets on the course, the memory never fades, each day I wake up and enjoy the life that is, and value every memory of those that have past.

Aside from the passing of immediate family, this time has always remained significant.

[Hulda44]

I literally stumbled upon this thread just over a week ago because I always find the 22nd of December especially harrowing. It was the day I lost my best friend Janine (Watson) to that horrific crash in 1990 in the Cessna 210 (VH-PLD) that was out searching for a crashed 152 that went down near Lake Burragorang.

I am not a pilot but as best friends in our HSC years, Janine's enthusiasm for flying was infectious and she had gained her unrestricted licence at the young age of 18 which was a remarkable achievement. I was supposed to be staying with her just before Christmas to celebrate Christmas together and she wanted to take me flying with her. The day after the crash featured on the news, and her mother had telephoned me to tell me Janine had died and about the funeral service etc., I received a Christmas card from her telling me she missed me which saw me break down. I lost contact with her parents after the funeral service and only got to know details of the crash from Allana's book "The Best I Can Be" many years later.

It's important for me to post here that Janine is sorely missed, and not only by student pilots or professional pilots but by friends who knew her well outside the flying community. If anyone knows whether her parents or brother would be open to contact from a close friend of Janine (we were at BMGS High School together), let me know. I can produce my bona fides re. my name and other identifying details but would prefer not to do so on an open message board. I also don't want to contact Janine's family if it would cause distress.

Vale Janine, my soul sister, always in my heart.

[Greg Black]

hi Aimee hannah, i just found an old photo of alan and 2 other guys (4 of us did our first license together at royal aero club) - I remember giving him a lift from his home to the royal aero sunday funday at wallacia, as alan, although he had a pilot's license, was too young to drive :-) nice guy - photo not great quality but might be a memory, rgds greg

[Ascend Charlie]

To add to the tragic story, Allana married Roger Corbin, a helicopter pilot, and moved to Tasmania.

Roger was killed in a crash while fighting the last series of bushfires.

[edsbar]

Roger was killed in a helicopter training accident, the ATSB report was released on the 22nd July. https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2017/aair/ao-2017-109/

[RadioSaigon]

To add to the tragic story, Allana married Roger Corbin, a helicopter pilot, and moved to Tasmania...

Oh **** really? I've just today read this whole thread... absolutely tragic.

Many many years ago, Rog & I were cohorts, training in NZNV and at NAC Motueka for CPL subbies ... there it was Rog & I had a rather large (Sunday) night on the tiles, both of us looking like 1/2-open pocketknives in class the following morning. Wal challenged us as an ("intrepid pair" -not his precise words) suggesting that we'd perhaps over-indulged... to which he received the reply:
"nah Wal, we were in Nelson, watching a couple PofF films." Intrigued, Wal asked us "which ones?"
"Star Wars Wal, and the Empire Strikes Back" ;-)

I did meet Allana on occasion, if memory serves, at the old SAC Bar upstairs, usually on a Sunday evening.

Sad losses, all around. Should you be speaking to Allana, please tell her Smallo says gidday.