View Full Version : Cessna ditching off Victorian coast
Islander Jock
26th Oct 2003, 15:20
MAJOR search has begun for a Cessna plane believed to have crashed into the ocean off Victoria's south-west coast today.
A police spokesman said they received a report that the Cessna ditched into the Southern Ocean about 10 nautical miles south of Warrnambool just before 5pm (AEDT).
It also was reported the plane had been dumping fuel before it crashed, he said. :rolleyes:
The spokesman said it was believed only one person was on board the private charter plane.
The police air wing and dive team are on their way to the scene, as is the air ambulance, Southern Peninsula Rescue and two fixed wing aircraft.
A Rural Ambulance spokesman said someone on board the plane had set off a radio beacon.
Lets hope the occupants made it out ok.
Douglas Mcdonnell
26th Oct 2003, 18:17
I heard the gentlemen concerned make the mayday call. Very cool under pressure.
ATC also did an excellent job as did the REX that diverted.
Here's hoping the Pilot/ pax ( if any) made it out ok.
DM
Crashlanded
26th Oct 2003, 18:38
let's hope everyone is safe be it the pilot/pax as well as the plane. Great job for REX crew in pinpointing the location of crash site.
olderbutyzer
26th Oct 2003, 18:51
It also was reported the plane had been dumping fuel before it crashed, he said.
Really???????? No kidding!!!!!!!!
Tinstaafl
26th Oct 2003, 21:24
A 'private charter' too. Wonder where that fits between private, aerial work, charter & RPT?
Gday
This mornings ABC news. Police have called off the search as the area was too large, the single occupant was flying in to attend his estranged wife's funeral. They also reported that he wasn't carrying a life jacket and the fixed ELT didn't activate.Funny about that maybe one day they can build one that will work in a 100 metres of water.
Q :confused:
spin doctor
27th Oct 2003, 05:35
Interestingly enough, the report from various news agencies now say the pilot reported a position 10 nm sth of Warrnambool, however the radar plot had him 60nm sth of Warrnambool. What would a C172 be doing there?:confused:
Al E. Vator
27th Oct 2003, 07:03
Searchers call off hunt for missing pilot
October 27, 2003
A search for an experienced pilot whose plane crashed into the sea off the south-west Victorian coast yesterday has been called off.
Australian Search and Rescue spokesman Ben Mitchell said Warrnambool pilot Bill Bell was heading south about 60 nautical miles off the Warrnambool coast when his single-engine Cessna was last seen on radar at 3.48pm.
In a Mayday call 45 minutes later, Mr Bell said he was crashing 10 nautical miles off the coast due to engine failure.
Mr Mitchell said Air Traffic Control now believed Mr Bell gave an incorrect position, leaving rescuers with a possible search area of up to 100,000 square kilometres.
"Air traffic control would indicate he was a lot further south and still headed south," he said.
"Due to authorities not knowing how far he intended to go and which direction he intended to go in, it's just too big an area to search."
Mr Bell, aged in his mid-60s, has already survived one plane crash at sea.
The former Staywood Air operator crashed north-west of Hawaii in the mid 1980s and was not picked up for 11 hours, according to the Warrnambool Standard newspaper.
He is now based in Perth where he works as a flying instructor, and was due to attend today's funeral for his wife, Shirley, in Warrnambool.
Police have called off a large-scale search involving seven helicopters, one plane, a police launch and local boats that was to begin at dawn.
Police Senior Constable Wayne Wilson said all shipping and aircraft that cover the area would be advised to keep a lookout for the missing aircraft.
Chief Inspector John Robinson, of Warrnambool Police, said a review of the radar showed it was not possible Mr Bell was within 10 nautical miles of shore when he sent the mayday call.
He said all the evidence suggested he had flown south.
"There were other things that could have been done, I would think, by a skilled pilot with 7,500 flying hours, which could have made it easier to locate him," Insp Robinson said.
"He wasn't wearing a life jacket and hi
Searchers call off hunt for missing pilot
October 27, 2003
A search for an experienced pilot whose plane crashed into the sea off the south-west Victorian coast yesterday has been called off.
Australian Search and Rescue spokesman Ben Mitchell said Warrnambool pilot Bill Bell was heading south about 60 nautical miles off the Warrnambool coast when his single-engine Cessna was last seen on radar at 3.48pm.
In a Mayday call 45 minutes later, Mr Bell said he was crashing 10 nautical miles off the coast due to engine failure.
Mr Mitchell said Air Traffic Control now believed Mr Bell gave an incorrect position, leaving rescuers with a possible search area of up to 100,000 square kilometres.
"Air traffic control would indicate he was a lot further south and still headed south," he said.
"Due to authorities not knowing how far he intended to go and which direction he intended to go in, it's just too big an area to search."
Mr Bell, aged in his mid-60s, has already survived one plane crash at sea.
The former Staywood Air operator crashed north-west of Hawaii in the mid 1980s and was not picked up for 11 hours, according to the Warrnambool Standard newspaper.
He is now based in Perth where he works as a flying instructor, and was due to attend today's funeral for his wife, Shirley, in Warrnambool.
Police have called off a large-scale search involving seven helicopters, one plane, a police launch and local boats that was to begin at dawn.
Police Senior Constable Wayne Wilson said all shipping and aircraft that cover the area would be advised to keep a lookout for the missing aircraft.
Chief Inspector John Robinson, of Warrnambool Police, said a review of the radar showed it was not possible Mr Bell was within 10 nautical miles of shore when he sent the mayday call.
He said all the evidence suggested he had flown south.
"There were other things that could have been done, I would think, by a skilled pilot with 7,500 flying hours, which could have made it easier to locate him," Insp Robinson said.
"He wasn't wearing a life jacket and his emergency locator beacon wasn't activated (when he crashed). That beacon was not something he could turn off."
He said the Mr Bell's family understood the chances of finding him alive were "extraordinarily remote".
"It's such a huge expanse of the ocean, no search could cover that amount of water," he said.
- AAP
Kiwi Flyer
27th Oct 2003, 16:15
Hmmm...
I dont know of any light cessnas that have the capacity to dump fuel?
Also would have thought with only one occupant, he would have been flight crew, so surely classified as private flight, not charter. Charter assumes you are carring pax.
Just my thoughts,
KF
KLN94
27th Oct 2003, 17:35
Douglas
What did the pilot say in his mayday call exactly?
olderbutyzer
27th Oct 2003, 17:53
I dont know of any light cessnas that have the capacity to dump fuel?
That's what I meant by my previous post!
bush mechanics
27th Oct 2003, 19:23
One of my workmates actually knows Mr Bell.He said he once had to ditch a brand new C182 he was ferrying in the pacific.What saved him that day was his epirb he had in his pocket.He did have a life raft but once in the water(huge swell and winds)when it inflated it was blown out of his hands.He watched it skipping of the waves and that was the end of the raft.He was picked up by the Navy as he was actually in a shipping lane betwen Hawai and the states.
The reason im writting this is that by the above mentioned,
miracles do happen.So hopefuly he is returned safe and well.
Thoughts are to his family.
Crashlanded
28th Oct 2003, 02:21
How does a pilot dump fuel out of a 172?
Guess the media as usual got the facts messed up!
Let's pray for a miracle that he'll survive.
Douglas Mcdonnell
28th Oct 2003, 04:41
KLN94. Probably not prudent to post the actual conversation here. Needless to say he did report 10nm south of Warranambool.
God speed DM
The pilots name has been released in the media, It was Bill Bell, who has been around the aviation scene as an instructor for many years, he will be missed by the many that he taught,
Condolences to those he left behind.
Q
Time Out
1st Nov 2003, 18:03
Posted: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 10:26 AEST
Missing plane could be in Tasmania: police
Police in Victoria believe a plane missing since Sunday could have landed in Tasmania.
The white and blue Cessna 172 with only the pilot on board, left Warrnambool Airport at 3:00pm AEDT on Sunday.
It was last seen heading south-west from the airport.
The last radar sighting showed the aircraft 59 nautical miles south of Warrnambool and continuing to head south.
Victorian police say the Cessna had enough fuel to land somewhere in north-west Tasmania.
ABC Online (http://http://www.abc.net.au/news/australia/vic/westvic/reghor-29oct2003-1.htm)
Wonder why they are suggesting this.....