Circa 1990 light aircraft ditching Wilsons Promontory

[welkin71]

About 1990 a single engined light aircraft (only pilot aboard) flying from Victoria to Tasmania ditched in the sea off Wilsons Promontory but in Tasmanian waters I understand.

Media reported that aircraft quickly located the pilot floating and I recall reading that various commercial aircraft circled him at times that day and that he was waving. A commercial flight checking later in the afternoon reported he was seen to slip beneath the waves for the last time.

Through the day I remember reading that attempts were made to task a helicopter from Sale to rescue the pilot. This was never done - the exact reasons I can not remember but early in the day the issue of which State had jurisdiction - Tasmania or Victoria was mentioned. I do recall that in the afternoon a helicopter from Sale was sent to Melbourne to refuel but that returned too late to find the lost pilot.

I am trying to locate the date of this ditching for reasons of historical research. Even a year, month would assist greatly.

I see on your thread headlined - Bass Strait Night Ditching Considerations -
Bass Strait Night Ditching Considerations [Archive] - PPRuNe Forums (http://www.pprune.org/archive/index.php/t-247545.html)
a post by Deaf -
[Deaf
12th Oct 2006, 00:08
IIRC There have been no survivors from Bass St ditchings including at least one case where the pilot was seen swimming.]

I think this is the event I am trying to track down..

Hoping you or Deaf or one of your members can assist me with an estimated year/month.

All the best and thanks,

[QSK?]

welkin71:

From the facts you've presented, I think you could be referring to the ditching of an AC685 (a twin), VH-WSJ, just near Wonthaggi.

From memory this ditching occurred sometime around '83 or '84 and involved an Ansett F27 finding the pilot in the sea and then circling around the survivor before having to depart the scene due to fuel. My recollection is that the Sale helicopters weren't used because they were only single engined helicopters and there was also some doubts as to whether they had the range to go there, stay on task for a period of time and then return with required fuel reserves intact.

I also seem to recall, if this is the event, that the Dept of Aviation SAR management was criticised quite publicly in the media, if not through an enquiry.

hope that helps.

[QSK?]

welkin71:

I have a copy of the BASI report on WSJ. The accident occurred on 17 July 1983 and seems to fit the facts you've presented.

If you give me an email address through PMs, I will forward the report to you.

[Anthill]

A PA31 was to be used to drop a raft to the survivor. They had to take the door off to do this. But then they were not given approval to operate IFR with the door removed and paperwork went back and forth until the pilot drowned. That's how I remember it

[down3gr33ns]

http://www.pprune.org/pacific-general-aviation-questions/235327-frederick-valentich-4.html

post 60 onwards has info on this ditching..

[Pettibone]

http://www.atsb.gov.au/media/24698/198302284.pdf

VH-WJC

17/07/83

[aroa]

Doco made / funded by Dick Smith :ok: "Search without Rescue" gave a good insight into the bureaucratic way taking precedence over rule busting to save a life.
Cock up supreme, I'd say.:mad:
RIP that man.

[welkin71]

Thanks very much to you all - that was the event OK. My memory was faulty on the year, single engine vs twin and route was S to N not N to S as I recalled.
Thanks again, I can try dig out press reports now.

[Going Boeing]

I wonder why the investigators into the Valentich disappearance didn't talk to the RAAF P3 Orion crew who conducted a search throughout the night and the first few hours of daylight! :confused:

[Brian Abraham]

My recollection is that the Sale helicopters weren't used because they were only single engined helicopters and there was also some doubts as to whether they had the range to go there, stay on task for a period of time and then return with required fuel reserves intact.We at the Esso helo operation at Longford, Sale were a little miffed to see the report of this tragedy on the news that night. I happened to be working that day, and no one had called us for possible involvement.

We had Bell 205 which were winch equipped, and only would have needed the tanks topped off to be on the way.

Alternatively, we also had twin engine Bell 212 and S-76. The 76 would have been the choice of the two due speed, and would have required 20 minutes to prep, and could have been on site 40 minutes later - total 1 hour from notification. The 205 would only have required an elapsed time of 5 minutes longer to be on site. The fact that the 205 was single engine meant nought, we spent our working lives flying over Bass Strait in the thing.

[Ramjet555]

I did a duel flight with Fred Valentich shortly before his fatal flight.

Valentich was so obviously an accident going to happen that I refused to do duel with him or rent him an aircraft.

None of the investigators bothered to speak to me either and with respect, that could be because he never logged the flight or his log book disappeared.


Investigators have a nasty habit of not wishing to talk to anyone who might
have evidence that does not agree with their preformed conclusions that are often churned out as "investigations".

[emeritus]

I'm with Brian on this one. DCA or whatever they called themselves at the time proved to be totally incompetent. They would have had more choppers available there than any other part of Aust and seemed unable to comprehend that someone was going to die if they did not get off their asses.

Had little faith in SAR after that. Emeritus:(

[LeadSled]

Folks,
If my memory serves me correctly, this bureaucratic fiasco was the catalyst for Airservices to loose responsibility for aviation search and rescue, that was eventually transferred to AMSAR.
Tootle pip!!

[Weheka]

"Investigators have a nasty habit of not wishing to talk to anyone who might
have evidence that does not agree with their preformed conclusions that are often churned out as "investigations"."

Couldn't agree more Ramjet555.