Cessna Caravan ditches near Cairns

[No worries mate]

From www.news.com.au

Occupants survive plane crash
February 8, 2004

TWO men escaped unharmed today after their aircraft's engine failed, forcing them to crash land into the waters of the Great Barrier Reef near Cairns in far north Queensland.

A police spokeswoman said the pilot and passenger were forced to crash land into the ocean near Green Island, off the Cairns coast, about 4pm (AEST), after their Cessna 208's single engine stalled.

The two occupants were rescued by a passing vessel and escaped without injury.

The incident will be investigated by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

[compressor stall]

Glad to hear that the pilot pax are ok. At least around green island, there are lots of boats and divers. Smart decision if at altitude.

Whose was it/what was the rego?

[topdrop]

VH-CYC Cape York Air
They ditched it on the lee side of the island, close to shore.
When the plane settled, the wheels were touching the bottom, wings above the surface. They hope to get it ashore on the high tide.

[Sheep Guts]

Top Drop,

"They hope to get it to shore" to do what I wonder? . Well done to pilot and crew for walking away.




Sheep

[Ang737]

So much for the caravan being rated single pilot single engine IFR due to a reliable engine. Anyone know what happened here?

Ang ;)

[Torres]

Steady on Ang, aside from the media speculation ("Cessna 208's single engine stalled" :ugh: ), the cause is as yet unknown. That aircraft may not have current ASEPA approval.

I have my thoughts but let's wait for the ATSB Report, eh?

And I had fond memories of that C208............ One of only three aerial photography Caravans ever built. :(

Came at a bad time I'd think, with the Cape York RASS Tender closing February 20.

[wessex19]

I hope it wasn't Dr Nadz. I knew Hairy would have a bad influence on you. Get back to Sinney town where the surf is goooooood and you can play the blues in style at the Rose of Oz.

I think I know what happened ANG737, you jumped the gun again!!!!!!!:mad:
Glad to hear the Doctor didn't get his tootsies wet. Good job Doc.:ok:

[sprocket]

Not that I'm suggesting anything here ... but was just wondering ... is it normal practise to do mid air engine out/restarts in a single-engined-anything?

[0tter1]

Sorry guys, nothing to do with the above accident, but in reply to sprocket..

I am pretty sure doing an in flight relight is part of the normal endorsment proceedures. Both of the single engine Turbine endo's I have done, a complete shutdown and relight has been done. Was an item to be ticked on the endorsment form(CASA).. As it is something that cannot really be simulated, like a piston engine. However was done at height (8000-10,000ft) and above an airstrip suitable for a forced landing. From 8500ft, had plenty of time to secure the engine, talk about the relight proceedures, wait for cooling if necessary then giving it a go. It does help as I have had to do an actual air start.
I am not sure what the rules and regs are about shutting down a single engine turbine in flight. Maybe someone could elaborate.. Knowing our trusty Aussie regs, it would say NO!!!!, followed by 12 pages of exemptions! for example, would be permitted if....

para 1- The Pilot is cool
para 2- Only on cloudy days 7/8ths or more
para 3- If the pilot wants to (see para 1)
para 4- If nobody is watching
etc... etc.... :ok:

Anyways, sounds like the pilot/pilots involved did a bloody good job to get the a/c down safely..

[compressor stall]

well on my rating for the SET I fly, an inflight shutdown was not performed. CASA are well aware of this too.

Do you do them in a piston single? Why should a SET be any different? You can simulate just as effectively.

[Ace on Base]

Twas a fair while ago that I did my S/E Turbine - and I remember the Caravan has a glide ratio that was pretty impressive to say the least............... But I dont recall doing an inflight relight!!:eek:

Poor ol' gal - fond memories of doing HOT turnarounds on the postal run out of Cairns in er' - Gettin my @rse and eyebrows scalded every stop to deliver the mail, while the captain sat up front in aircon comfort patiently awaiting my return to the cockpit!:}

Lets see what the BASI investigation reveals - and not speculate too much!! :hmm:

[sprocket]

Thanks for your replies, even though the question was slightly off topic.

[Ang737]

Wessex please enlighten me on when I last jumped the gun ???

Ang ;)

[TopperHarley]

C.Y.A havent had a good record with Caravans have they ??

At least they hold the SAR contract for Nth Qld !!

[Torres]

Topper. CYA only ever had one C208 Caravan, VH-CYC acquired around 1996 from Hamburg in Germany.

I don't recall any other incidents, other than a taxing prop strike at a remote Cape strip some years ago?

Indeed, considering the previous Trislander, Aztec, Islander, Navajo flying museum combo on the mail services, the Caravan was a remarkably improvement and very well accepted.

[TopperHarley]

Definate imporvement over nearly any piston aircraft I can think of......

Who operated the one that got wet on a beach at Badu in umm 95 I think it was ??

[404 Titan]

Torres

I think Topper might be getting confused with the now defunked Uzu Air that had a couple of incidents and accidents with their C208’s a few years back in the Straits. You know the one’s I’m talking about don’t you Torres???;)

[Torres]

Yup. Including the first beach front Caravan Park at Badu Island. :(

Didn't get wet and it was 1999 from memory.

[FEW VB 1700]

Definitely before 1999.

[Two_dogs]

I'd reckon Torres would remember it well.

However a quick look in my logbook tells me it might have been in (17-19?) Oct '98, as I remember flying past and having a look. I was in Horn on that day. I remember I'd not been in the area before and was a bit nervous about all the traffic.

I did spend some time in Horn from Dec 99 forward, so it may have been then, but I don't think so. Correct me if you have any recollections to the contrary.

Two Dogs :cool:

[The Hedge]

Read all about it Here (http://www.atsb.gov.au/aviation/occurs/occurs_detail.cfm?ID=204)

[Zack's Dad]

You guys must have short memories! CYA Cessna 206 VH-STL crashed off Horn Island 12:38 AEST Friday 11 January 2002. Fatality - one. PIC: Zachary (Zack) Short. ATSB investigation usual ballsup. Probable: maintenance-related inflight engine failure while holding at low altitude pending clearing of rain over runway. Probable: PIC stalled out during unpowered glide ditch phase due error under stress or weather-related effects. Inquest now running hot - and heavy.

[Square Bear]

Zack's Dad

I don't know if it will relieve any angst or not but I'd just thought you may like to know that the people who own/manage/Chief Pilot & even crew CYA at this time were not around when Zack flew for the company.

That is not said to belittle or negate any thoughts you may have on what happened.

It is unfortunate that your son never flew for the company in its hay day.

I guess it doesn't make it any easier but I can attest that it WAS ONCE a well respected, well managed and a well trained
operation that had a great deal of of tropical flying experience.

Sadly a few Managers and Chief Pilots have been through since then.

Regards

[Zack's Dad]

That is a fair point you make. I think Zack naively thought they were still a good outfit too when he joined them. After one engine failure he was beginning to worry though. Too late - they got him 4 days later with another one. The General Manager then scarpered within a few weeks of Zack's crash. But that man's bad karma will catch up with him. The new owner of CYA seems like a man of integrity. A TV documentary on the shonky operators in remote area charter GA in Australia would be timely at helping weed the rats out - the fatality/incident stats speak for themselves.

[Observer 2]

Zack's Dad

Probable: maintenance-related inflight engine failure while holding at low altitude pending clearing of rain over runway. Probable: PIC stalled out during unpowered glide ditch phase due error under stress or weather-related effects.

Most likely though, an inexperienced young pilot who inadvertently got himself into weather which he should not have been in, with the all too common result of disorientation, leading to a spiral dive which was not recovered in time.

The weather was atrocious, and nobody should have been flying a single in those conditions.

I do feel very sorry for you and your loss. Zack was a good bloke. Unfortunately he got himself into a situation that he was ill-equipped to deal with.

[troppo]

just out of interest...what would be required to get an aircraft airworthy again after it has been submerged in salt water???

[Woomera]

Probably about the cost of a similar spec, age and hours usedy.:\

That Woomera ... I believe the cheapest option may be to retain the registration letters and stick onto a new 'Van! :p

This Woomera

[Hudson]

"Let's wait for the ATSB investigation"? What fine upstanding sentiments. With a little bit of luck most GA incidents and accident reports should be completed and published within two years, give or take six months or so - by which time people will have forgotten all about the accident and as it's so ancient no one will be interested, anyway.

In any case, by the time the legal eagles and top ATSB managers pore through the investigator's initial report, then twist and omit a few incriminating paragraphs, the report will come out quite bland and in the end it will be left to the reader to read between the lines and hopefully learn something of value from the accident.

ATSB can make all the excuses in the world for why final reports for light aircraft GA accidents take sometimes two years to be published. Even the preliminary reports which are so abbreviated as to be worthless often take months to surface. The Camden Duchess fatal accident is a case in point. Do any of Pprune's current readers remember that accident? Well, it happened one year ago this month and still nothing has filtered down through official channels.

Yet there is every reason to think that flying instructors who carry out multi-engine training, and students who hire instructors to teach them how to fly safely, could learn a lot from the circumstances surrounding that accident.

Regardless of the knockers of Pprune, there is often much more up-to-date reasonably accurate incident and accident reporting available on these pages than dribbles from ATSB.

[the wizard of auz]

ATSB and CASA reports, sometimes are not a viable source of information anyway.
I once witnessed a crash by a pilot I knew. I knew all the reasons why it happened, when it happened and what happened afterwards. I wasn't interviewed by anyone. I was one of about six people within a hundred miles of the crash and the authorities were informed of this fact.
I also had photographic evidence before, during and after the accident.
About two years after the accident, whilst perusing the crash comics, I came apon a report with a rego I thought was awfully familier. after reading the report, I was astounded to remember witnessing the accident, and it wasn't even close to the report.
It had been covered up by the pilot to such an extent that the report didn't include any factual evidence at all other than the aircraft rego.
this pilot then went on to crash another aircraft in very similar circumstances twelve months later.
why bother spending tax payers money on a farcial investigation when no one learned anything at all and no regulartary action was ever taken and the idiot was allowed to go out and do the same thing again a year later?.

[the road atlas]

As soon as the donk goes quiet, the insurance company ownes it. Just curious, did it flip and then end up on it's wheels, or did they some howkeep it up right? Gee, I hope the bar opened after that on the beach :O

oh, that last post was definatly refering to the C208 on green island, not to be mistaken with a prevous discusion of a 206 above.

:ok:

[Lefthanded_Rock_Thrower]

Zack's dad, i knew both lyn and zack, it is a terrible loss.

i feel it is unfair to be suggesting that the previous GM was directly or indirectly responsible, his having resigned from an 80k plus a year job certainly does not obsolve him from answering questions in a court of law, so why did he then resign, i dont know for sure, he did not maintain the aircraft, or have any direct say in its maintenance, thats what LAMES are for.

What i am reasonably sure of is that this previous GM would not be happy about zacks death or would have done anything to make it happen.

I saw the wreck and in my opinion that engine was under power and the aircraft was at high speed and entered the water wing tip first, read from that what you will, the weather was as stated above, refer Observer 2.

[Torres]

There was no damage to the C208B Caravan at Badu. Engine change and flown out a few days later.

There appeared to be little damage to the C208 Caravan at Green Island, although the aircraft ended up virtually under water - I guess it landed at low water. I'm rather amazed it didn't flip over.

[Spinnerhead]

Okay, now lets get back to the matter at hand. What causes a modern turbine engine to lose power or flame out, during what we have to believe to be, an endorsement flight (2 POB, both pilots, no nav aid at Green Island). Now I am by no means a turbine guru, but I am assuming the following

1. Lack of fuel - Unlikely
2. Busted compressor blades - Maybe
3. Intentional shut down - Unlikely when 10nm out to sea
4. Some other weird sh1t - Maybe
5. Some other weird sh1t associated with an endorsement - More likely than "Maybe".

Now can someone tell me what weird sh1t can go wrong that would cause a permanent power loss, other than 1 to 3, that would be more likely during an endorsment flight.

[I'm gone!]

Gday all,




The story as told to me,(in point form only as I couldn't be bothered typing it all)
* Simulated pwr loss by moving Cond. lever:eek: to Low Idle and Fx prop.
* Possibly went slightly past Low Idle detent and stopped Wf.
* Failed to notice flame out.
* Cruised around gliding practice etc.
* Unstowed Emergency Pwr Lever for practice G/A using said Lever.
* Smelled fuel due to increased Wf from unstowed Emerg. Pwr Lever and engine previously windmilling with Cond. Lever at Low Idle.
* Realised flame out so Ignition to ON and Starter to ON:eek:
* Apparently not a successful relight so set up for the ditch.

Lucky to get out of the ditching so lightly in my opinion. I always used to cringe at the thought of ditching a C208, long spindly legs and all!

As I say, story as told to me. Not first hand facts, just as I have heard it.

Cheers,
I'm gone!

Woomera has received information from the Captain of the above flight to the effect that

"The information is not accurate and is speculation"

and that no information on the event in this form has been provided directly to " I'm gone" or any other persons beyond that required by the ATSB and other persons approriate to the investigation from the pilot or operator.

We agree with the Captain;

"that I have no problem with discussion of the incident but for obvious reasons am unable to comment at this stage. I request that "I'm gone" confines his post to general issues and not post in a way that suggests "Factual material", particularly as he was not in any way involved, as your disclaimer says, posts may be made for illicit purposes or to elicit a response."

There will always be hearsay and and the Townsville refueller available to excite the imagination so lets not try and suggest or imply that it either is or has any foundation in facts.

I do not suggest that there was any necessarily any motivation on the part of "I'm gone" in his post beyond contributing to the thread from his personal perspective, just a plea to be very careful with what and how, what may be personally perceived to be the "facts", are portrayed.

Whatever the "facts" also have a thought for what the Captain may be going through.

Remember it may well be you one day.

[Zack's Dad]

To the mischievous statements by Left_Handed_Rockthrower re: crash of VH-STL. The conformation of the props clearly showed VH-STL entered the water unpowered or very low powered. Even ATSB state this in their Occurrence Brief. Every LAME who has seen the photos says exactly the same thing. Now why would Left_Handed_Rockthrower claim otherwise if he had seen the wreckage? Prop conformation was inconsistent with the engine control settings i.e. throttle setting (cruise), mixture (full rich), prop pitch (full fine), magnetos (both on). suggesting revs should have been at least 2200 rpm. With respect to the frozen instruments: manifold pressure showed zero, vacuum suction gauge showed zero, fuel flow gauge showed zero and tacho showed zero revs. In addition on master switch alt was off but batt was on, consistent with Zack setting up for a sea ditch but last minute use of radio for mayday. Even the mayday itself is consistent with Zack setting up for a ditch but then losing some reason. Remember: Aviate, Navigate, Communicate.

[I'm gone!]

Woomera and "the Captain"

I understand Woomera's edit to my post and have taken notice.

As I said at the end of the post, I make no claim that what I posted was factual information but merely what I was told.

It was by no means my intention to discredit "the Captain" or his actions, but merely to contribute to the forum with the information I had at hand, be it fact or otherwise.

I have NOT spoken to "the Captain" personally, therefore if "the Captain" says that the information in my post is incorrect then I accept that to be so.:ok:

Cheers,
I'm gone!

[the wizard of auz]

You people have no respect and carry on like a mob of drongo's.
Did any of you even think for a moment that the Townsville refueller might have real feelings. :} ;)

[Woomera]

wiz

What if I was in fact the Townsville Refueller:E and yes I know what it feels like, that's why "Edward Scissorhands" is my fave movie. :sad:

[Lefthanded_Rock_Thrower]

for starters Zacks Dad, the words "in my Opinion" in no way imply facts proven in court.

What has been proven in court, not what you suggest either.

Zack was a great guy, you mistake my intent.

I feel the previous GM has been your target, this again in my opinion, and CASA/ATSB as it would appear, tend to agree.

[nungry]

It takes a lot for me to step up and voice my opinion, and now is the time. I am disgusted at the amount of bullsh*t that has already been spruked about this incident without anyone here knowing the facts!!
Anyone here comptemplating any sort of speculation and "It's just what I heard" sort of facts, you're no better than the professional source we call the media. If you know so much, why aren't you working for channel nine?? they always get the story straight - NOT!!
I'm gone - pull your f*cking head in mate, in your immortal words, "in point form only as I couldn't be bothered typing it all" (yeh, good one)-
*Do you personally know the pilots - I do
*Was one of the pilots living with you when it happened - he was with me
*Were you the first person called from one of the pilots after the incident - I was
*Did you spend a week with one of the pilots after they have just both stared death in the face and won and understand how they feel - I did
* Do you know what a C208 is and how it is operated - I do
*Do you know what you're talking about - NO!!

What's wrong with you man, why try and put a dampner on a fantastic outcome, visa vie, two fellow aviators are alive and well, to tell the tale on how they cheated death and what a god awful experience they just went through, and all you can do is try and big note yorself and point fingers on a subject you probably know nothing about by "presuming" what happened on that day. As you say, only what you heard, but if you wern't there, what right do you have to comment!

[Flying Mechanic]

WELL SAID NUNGRY!
Good to see there are people around with there heads screwed on.
Well done to the crew who walked away from a emergency situation.Aviators all over the world are proud of you:ok:

[BongoDriver]

Bala Nungry!

You hit the nail on the head. I too have held my mouth shut about CYA and its accidents. It gets hard when having worked for the company (CYA) for 3 years, I felt the need to say something. You said it for me. It astounds me that the idiots on Pprune have to speculate wildly.

STFU unless you know the facts!

Thanks for coming.

[The Bullwinkle]

BongoDriver
having worked for the company (CYA) for 3 years
Undoubtedly 3 of the best years of your life :ok: :ok: :ok:
G'day mate.

[wessex19]

Well said Nungry, someone told me once if you speculate too much you will go blind!!! I am glad they are both fine, one of the pilots is a good mate of mine and I am happy about the outcome. Will be having a beer with the Doctor tonight at the Rose of Oz. By the way Flying Mechanic, do you still have your bollucks attached over there in the mid-east, keep your bloody head down old mate when in Bagdad. P.S. nobody bag my spelling as I never went to school.

[Flying Mechanic]

Hey Bulla!!
Just got back from Baghdad and my nuts are still in shape thanks.Send my best to the Doctor wont you.
All the best FM

[Horizon_Pilot]

Good on ya Nungry, well said !!! :ok:

From what I've heard first hand, these blokes did an excellent job and the Doc can still enjoy a quiet ale or 2 :ok: .

We all have a lot to learn from the Docs' experience here...

Good to hear that ya set are still intact FM ! Catch ya next time your in Oz mate ..... ;)

[I'm gone!]

Gday all,

Nungry, calm down mate!

I said it before and I will say it again,

The info I posted was what I was told. I bought into the forum in response to the post above mine where someone asking what kind of weird sh!t could have gone on.

In my second post you will see that I have tried to clear up any misconception that what I posted was first hand fact.

I would also like to reiterate that it was absolutely not my intention to discredit the PIC.

In answer to some of your other points,

I do know the PIC and I do have C208 time.

Anyway I hope that clears up a few things and please pass on my apologies to your mate if my post caused him any grief!



Now, on a more positive note.
Is anyone of the opinion that having the pod fitted would give you a much better "landing", if you want to call it that, in the water by not having so much of the main gear extending beyond the bottom of the A/C??

Cheers,
I'm gone!

[Lefthanded_Rock_Thrower]

Cut and Paste from ATSB website:

Occurrence Brief


Occurrence Details
Occurrence Number: 200200035
Release Date: 24-Sep-02
Occurrence Type: Accident
Location: 9 km E Horn Island, Aero.
State: Queensland (QLD)
Occurrence Date: 11-Jan-02
Time/Zone: 1235 hours EST
Highest Injury Level: Fatal
Investigation Category: 4


Aircraft Details
Aircraft Manufacturer: Cessna Aircraft Company
Aircraft Model: U206F
Aircraft Registration: VH-STL
Serial Number: U20603389
Type of Operation: Charter, Positioning
Damage to Aircraft: Destroyed
Departure Time: 1210 hours EST
Departure Point: Badu Island, QLD
Destination: Horn Island, QLD
Crew Details: Role Class of Licence Hours on Type Hours Total
Pilot-In-Command Commercial 45 280

FACTUAL INFORMATION
SIGNIFICANT FACTORS

FACTUAL INFORMATION

The pilot of a Cessna 206 (C206), departed from Badu Island, Qld at about 1210 Eastern Standard Time (EST) on a positioning flight to Horn Island, Qld in accordance with the visual flight rules (VFR). The aircraft had an estimated fuel endurance of 270 minutes. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, had been tasked to conduct a charter flight from Horn Island at 1330 with passengers who were reported as arriving on a scheduled flight from Cairns.

At about 1221 the pilot broadcast on the Torres Mandatory Broadcast Zone (MBZ) frequency that he was over Wednesday Island and tracking for a 3 NM final approach to runway 26 at Horn Island. A short time later he broadcast that he was holding until the weather over the runway cleared. At about 1238 the pilots of two aircraft in the Bamaga area reported hearing a MAYDAY broadcast from the pilot of the C206 on the MBZ frequency. The pilot did not describe the nature of the emergency. Further efforts by the pilots operating in the Bamaga area to contact the pilot of the C206 were unsuccessful and they advised air traffic services of the MAYDAY they had heard on the MBZ frequency.

An air and sea search was commenced. Later that day floating debris, identified as belonging to the C206, was located. The recovered items included the left main wheel and landing gear leg, the nose wheel and part of the nose gear landing leg and a seat. The following day divers located the aircraft approximately 3 NM east of Horn Island in 7 m of water but the pilot was not found.

The aircraft was recovered from the sea floor where it had been submerged for just over two days. It had been extensively damaged by impact forces. The nature of the recovery process resulted in further disruption of the wreckage. The outer left wing, left aileron and the engine cowls were not recovered. Salt-water corrosion had affected many of the aircraft components. The flaps were found in the retracted position and damage to the propeller blades was consistent with low engine power at the time of impact. Damage was consistent with the aircraft having struck the water at a moderate to high speed in a nose-down, left wing low attitude. The collision with the water was not survivable.

Examination of the damaged gyroscopic flight instruments did not reveal any indication of pre-impact malfunction. The vacuum pump was found in good condition and capable of normal operation. Although the aircraft was equipped with appropriate instrumentation for flight in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) it was maintained to the VFR standard, as appropriate to the category of operation. Maintenance requirements were certified as having been performed and no evidence was found to indicate that the aircraft was other than serviceable prior to the flight. Analysis of recorded audio data determined that engine operation was normal during the pilot's radio transmissions.

The pilot was reported to have obtained a forecast from Airservices electronic briefing facility using the company computer terminal at Badu Island. That forecast predicted north-westerly stream weather characteristic of conditions normally experienced during the wet season in the Torres Strait area between October and April. The terminal area forecast for Horn Island, valid from 0600 to 1800, indicated light showers of rain and a visibility greater than 10 km. Throughout the forecast period, a temporary deterioration in conditions (up to 60 minutes) was forecast due to thunderstorms, with visibility reduced to 2000 m in rain and a cloud base of 800 ft. Approximately 40 minutes before he departed Badu Island, the pilot received a telephone call from the senior base pilot. The senior base pilot had flown from Badu Island to Horn Island that morning and advised him of the actual weather conditions he had encountered, including 20 minutes holding east of Horn Island while awaiting a rain shower to move from over the aerodrome.

Witnesses reported that the weather conditions at Horn Island aerodrome between 1230 and 1245 were less than visual meteorological conditions. Heavy rain had reduced visibility to less than 100 m. One witness reported seeing lightning to the north of the aerodrome. A Bureau of Meteorology assessment of weather conditions for the area east of Horn Island at the time of the occurrence indicated that the generally low overcast cloud contained embedded thunderstorm cells, with associated heavy rain and a cloud base less than 1,000 ft. The recorded rainfall intensity was heaviest between 1230 and 1300. Weather conditions at Horn Island at the time of the occurrence were described by witnesses as being the most severe seen that season.

The pilot held a Commercial Pilot (Aeroplane) Licence and a valid Class 1 medical certificate. He had obtained his commercial pilot licence in September 2000 and qualified for a command multi-engine instrument rating in April 2001. The pilot's logbook was not found. A compilation of flight time records showed that at the time of the occurrence the pilot had between 270 and 290 hours total flying experience that included approximately 45 hours on type. The company did not require the pilot to maintain IFR currency there was no evidence that the pilot had met recency requirements for instrument flight. The pilot was not reported to be suffering from any physiological condition that may have affected his capability as a pilot. He had been off duty for the two days prior to commencing duty on the morning of the accident.

In July 2001 the pilot moved to the Torres Strait area and gained some occasional flying experience with another operator. In November 2001 the pilot commenced employment with the operator he was working for at the time of the accident as a VFR charter pilot on C182 and C206 aircraft. On 19 November 2001, before commencing operational duties, the pilot had flown a familiarisation flight under supervision of the senior base pilot. On 27 November he had demonstrated proficiency on the C182 in normal and emergency procedures to an approved company check pilot. That flight of one and a half hours also incorporated a short area familiarisation. The pilot was then certified as competent to conduct company charter flights. On 1 December 2001 he flew the C206 while acting in-command under the supervision of the senior base pilot.

The flight was being conducted under the VFR, at an altitude that required the aircraft to remain clear of cloud, and with a minimum flight visibility of 5,000 m. The operator's operations manual instructed pilots to consider uplifting additional fuel for diverting or holding when the forecast indicated elements of weather below the minimum required for the flight. The pilot had departed with ample fuel reserves for holding or diverting. Company pilots reported that diversions and holding, due to rain showers and associated poor visibility, were not unusual during the wet season. The pilot had broadcast his intention to hold until weather conditions improved.

Although the pilot of the C206 had flown in IMC during his training he did not have any instrument flight recency and had very little exposure to tropical wet season weather conditions and its characteristic heavy rain shower activity.

The circumstances of the occurrence were consistent with a loss of control at low level and at an altitude from which recovery was not considered possible. Due to the limited information available to the investigation, the reason for the loss of control could not be determined. However, the circumstances were consistent with VFR flight into IMC.


SIGNIFICANT FACTORS


Weather conditions at Horn Island aerodrome were less than visual meteorological conditions at the time of the occurrence.
The pilot was not current for flight in IMC.
The pilot lost control of the aircraft at an altitude from which recovery was not considered possible.