It will be 22 years next month 20 July 1998, that Partenavia VH-IXH crashed into a hill during a DME Arrival into Wagga, killing the pilot and his passenger. The BASIS report stated: The pilot was operating the aircraft in IMC below the approved MDA and that low cloud was covering Gregadoo Hill (the site of the accident) at the time of the accident.. The pilot had been a flying instructor in his previous job and flying the Partenavia on charter work was his first job after being an instructor
The BASIS report:
https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications...aair199802757/
An inquest was later held at Wagga. Evidence was presented that the pilot had kept a hand-written list of defects relating to the aircraft. The BASIS report stated the aircraft’s maintenance release was valid at the time of the accident and no entries had been made in relation to outstanding un-serviceable items. It was reported that the pilot would inform the chief pilot of any maintenance action required and that would be coordinated with the maintenance organisation. The aircraft maintenance records contained no outstanding airworthiness issues.
The investigation team was provided with the hand-written note compiled by the pilot, which listed aircraft defects. The list was to be supplied to the aircraft operator and maintenance organisation for the next period of scheduled maintenance and identified items that the pilot considered could require attention. The BASIS team assessed the significance of the list and recovered some components from the accident site for more detailed examination. However, no evidence was available to suggest that the listed items had contributed to the circumstances of the occurrence.
The aircraft was equipped with a GPS satellite receiver and the pilot broadcast his intention to conduct the Albury-Wagga GPS Arrival. A ground based navigation aid provided azimuth guidance to the pilot.
At the inquest, the partner of the pilot gave evidence that the pilot had requested the list of defects on the hand-written note was to be given to investigators in event of an accident. The partner stated the pilot had frequently expressed his doubts concerning the state of airworthiness of the aircraft. In addition, he held concerns the security of his job would be compromised if he had recorded these defects in the maintenance release.
Following the accident, the partner of the pilot had given the hand-written list of defects to a BASIS inspector who expressed to the partner that as the aircraft was 25 years old, these sort of defects can be expected.
The following items were on the hand-written list and were un-rectified at the time of the accident.
1. Pilot’s left seat loose on rails and rocks fore and aft in flight
2. Brakes weak
3. Severe nose-wheel shimmy
4. ADF intermittently inoperative
5. Autopilot inoperative
6. Landing light inoperative
7.Cockpit panel lights inoperative.
8. Standby artificial horizon inoperative
9. Standby altimeter inoperative
10. No. 1 VHF Com aerial broken.
11. No. 2 Comm/Nav inoperative
12. Transponder inoperative (12 months)
13. Left engine oil pressure low light illuminated at all times
14. Left engine CHT low indication.
15. Nose-wheel oleo leaking oil
16. Rudder Trim very stiff to move
17. No shoulder harness installed
The inquest was told that many of these defects had been outstanding for several months despite passing the 100 hourly inspection.
Note: The writer was present at each day of the Inquest
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