PT-6 turboprop engines aren't exactly known as the most unreliable powerplants employed on high performance light to medium FAR 23 category aircraft. In fact, far from it. It scares me that something which can potentially lead to a catastrophic engine failure (most likely the hot end - turbine) can go undetected. I am sure the ATSB folks will know where to look, apart from the crash debris. Paperwork might be an equally telling source of information.
By the way, I'm reasonably familiar with the location of the Essendon DFO (as I've been there regularly over the past few years) and the crash site, having been in the Spotlight store many times which took the brunt of the impact. Years before, during frequent visits to Melbourne and travel in the vicinity of the southern boundary of YMEN on the Tullamarine Freeway, I was astonished to see the construction of the DFO complex within the former boundary of the airfield. I guess this is what can occur when a Commonwealth asset is leased out to a commercial operator for 99 years and needs to go gang busters with commercial property development on the site to cover its lease/capital and other costs well before the expiration of the lease period. Having watched aircraft take off on the same RWY 17 from the DFO carpark always made me think 'what if the unthinkable happens and an aircraft experiences an emergency upon take off?' Well, fatefully, we discovered that 'what' today.
I grew up and used to live around the eastern approaches to YMEN for many years, have endured the many campaigns to close the airport and have been horrified by the further residential development that have occurred in the past 15 years which has given us the new suburb of Gowanbrae, bounded by the Western Ring Road and the Moonee Ponds Creek, along which I used to bike ride past before and during it's initial subdivision. If that's enough, it happens inside the boundary of the airport.
When is enough, enough, for these rent seekers supported by the legislators ?
