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Username here
28th Jan 2016, 06:01
Just heard news of an aircraft with 11 POB having crashed in the waters off Hamilton Island.

RACQ Rescue helicopter en route.

tail wheel
28th Jan 2016, 06:12
Nothing on the Net - Yet?

11 POB - C208B?

tail wheel
28th Jan 2016, 06:22
One person injured after seaplane crashes in Whitsundays | Mackay Daily Mercury (http://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/racq-cq-rescue-tasked-plane-crash-whitsundays/2913936/)

UPDATE: The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said they have received reports of an incident.

A spokesman said they were still gathering information on the incident and no decision had been made on whether it would be investigated.

It is believed the aircraft may be a Cessna 208.


EARLIER: A Queensland Ambulance Service spokeswoman said a seaplane crashed about 3.37pm six nautical miles of Hamilton Island.

She said 11 people were on board the plane at the time of the crash and one person is believed to have suffered minor injuries.

The spokeswoman said they are still on scene assessing patients.

The RACQ CQ Rescue crew are on their way to the site of a plane crash near Hamilton Island.

skkm
28th Jan 2016, 07:59
VH-WTY - Hamilton Island Air.

mattyj
28th Jan 2016, 08:05
1 minor injury..that's good news..float planes are no picnic when they're in the water..

Capn Bloggs
28th Jan 2016, 08:23
float planes are no picnic when they're in the water..
Better than a 'plane with no floats in the water...

Cloudee
28th Jan 2016, 09:00
ABC news saying that it overturned after it "clipped a wave".


Woman injured in seaplane crash near Hamilton Island - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-28/seaplane-crash-hamilton-island-whitsunday-island/7122578)

RenegadeMan
28th Jan 2016, 21:56
Latest media reports seem to be leaning towards the aircraft having encountered larger than expected waves, skidding onto the beach and colliding with vegetation. Seems to suggest the expected deceleration after touch down with the aircraft coming down off the step didn't occur and the aircraft's continued onto the shore with some speed. There's been no further mention of the plane having flipped over.

Woman injured in Whitsundays seaplane crash - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-28/seaplane-crash-hamilton-island-whitsunday-island/7122578)

Lookleft
29th Jan 2016, 03:35
Not the first time a Caravan has come clean out of the water. They might have to look at the bulkhead as it possibly bent when it hit the vegetation.

RenegadeMan
29th Jan 2016, 06:29
http://i.imgur.com/dZCYtNG.jpg

Ixixly
29th Jan 2016, 06:42
We all saw the word "Retrieve" in the news article and assumed they were going to be able to patch it up and fly it out...pretty sure it's going to be "Retrieved" on the back of a truck seeing that photo! Poor girl :oh:

And yeah Lookleft, pretty sure they'll want to inspect the Bulkhead on her as well...If I were you I'd definitely send them an email to make sure they give it a thorough looking over incase they didn't think about it! :ok:

Oh and "Vegetation" :p They're not wrong, but they ain't right either!

Cloudee
29th Jan 2016, 06:50
"Police said the pilot was making a routine water landing at Chance Bay when the aircraft hit large waves, skidded onto the beach and crashed into vegetation."


Must have been a tsumani from behind!

Lookleft
29th Jan 2016, 07:15
Well they do say a picture is worth a thousand words! Certainly does in this case.

red_dirt
29th Jan 2016, 07:22
Piano Man, you crying?

Aussie Bob
29th Jan 2016, 07:30
I think you are correct Lookleft, that bulkhead may be slightly bent.

Ultralights
29th Jan 2016, 07:30
is that photo of the accident in question? from what i have been told, and described to me, is that the aircraft is salvageable, and will be flying in no time. with minor front end damage only.. that image above, doesnt look like its salvageable.

Homesick-Angel
29th Jan 2016, 07:32
Shows how tough the guts of these things are.!

kingRB
29th Jan 2016, 07:36
is that photo of the accident in question?well the rego matches as per previous post in the thread.

"does not look salvageable" is putting it mildly!

It may be salvageable, for some parts :ouch:

Lead Balloon
29th Jan 2016, 08:07
As it has yet to be said, I am compelled to be the first to say: That'll buff out! :ok:

Capt Fathom
29th Jan 2016, 09:37
Certainly bounced a long way off that wave!

Squawk7700
29th Jan 2016, 09:41
Easily repaired assuming this was a C208 swept wing model aka F1-11 before it plowed in !!

kingRB
29th Jan 2016, 09:51
does that blade look feathered to anyone else? Can't tell if it's been twisted on impact or not. Assuming it would have bent tips if it was anywhere near beta or reverse and generating power at impact.

Hasherucf
29th Jan 2016, 12:01
Not the first time a Caravan has come clean out of the water. They might have to look at the bulkhead as it possibly bent when it hit the vegetation.

Best dry humour of the year.

Impressed by the Caravans crash survivability yet again.

Ejector
29th Jan 2016, 17:06
You Get What You Pay For.

continueapproach737
29th Jan 2016, 21:30
Explains a lot

Mr Meldrum said they'd seen the plane "hit the water" twice before it tried to rise again, but lost sight as it went around a nearby point.

"Next thing we saw (the plane) sort of bank back around into view," he said.

They then heard "crack, crack, crack" as the plan crashed into the trees.

RenegadeMan
29th Jan 2016, 22:04
That text continueapproach737's quoting is from this update media report:

Group rushed to plane crash site to help passengers | Mackay Daily Mercury (http://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/group-watches-plane-crash-into-mountain/2915159/)

Seems to indicate the pilot was attempting a go-around after the bounces and ended up in the scrub. This accident could have been so much worse. As others have noted, the Caravan's well designed and built structure has likely saved many lives.

601
29th Jan 2016, 22:13
"We just wanted to get everyone down the mountain,"

..................:hmm:

Piano Man
29th Jan 2016, 22:22
Definitely very sad to see WTY now destined for the scrap heap. I won't repost my photos, but I have plenty in the image thread of her.

As many of you who have followed my photos over the years, I am now away from floats. Even though I am now loving being on the 7X, WTY for me has always been my favourite aircraft.

In an accident like this, it is a miracle that no one was seriously injured or worse. Like any accident, until we get all the facts, there will be much speculation. Rather than throw wild theories in to the mix, let's just all be grateful that the caravan is a tough old girl, and that everyone walked away.

RenegadeMan
29th Jan 2016, 22:41
One person was seriously injured PM, a 25 year old female who had to be airlifted to Mackay Hospital with (according to that same newspaper - The Daily Mercury - as quoted above) "head and neck injuries".

Like you've noted though, it's a miracle it wasn't way worse. This accident could have easily eclipsed the South Pacific Seaplanes 185 crash in the Hawkesbury River back in 1998 and become one of the worst GA crashes ever.

ACMS
30th Jan 2016, 04:50
You gotta say that is similar to the Indonesian Airlines runway over runs that occur frequently, but this guy can honestly say the runway was contaminated!!

FullOppositeRudder
31st Jan 2016, 00:44
The family of the injured young lady are well known to me - they are locals in our township and community in which she grew up. (We are a long way from the location of the accident).

Given that, I'm probably more shaken by the picture of the aircraft and the possible implications than most would be ....

Thankfully it wasn't worse - although the account of her injuries from the family this morning varies somewhat from the media reports.

Then again that's not altogether unusual.....

FOR

PS Just like to add as an afterthought that I understand your sentiments Piano Man. It's devastating to see an aircraft that you know and love come to grief like this. I've been there some years ago - a couple of times in fact ....

continueapproach737
28th Nov 2016, 22:49
any more on this? ATSB still actively investigating....

Cloudee
29th Nov 2016, 05:05
From the ATSB website.


Updated: 9 August 2016
Completion of the draft investigation report has been delayed by competing team member priorities and workload and the requirement for additional investigative work. This includes seeking further information from a number of sources.
The report is now anticipated for release to directly involved parties (DIP) for comment in October 2016. Feedback from those parties over the 28-day DIP period on the factual accuracy of the draft report will be considered for inclusion in the final report

Stationair8
29th Nov 2016, 09:04
Just back from a week on Hamo, noticed that they now only have a Beaver and the rest of the work is done with Robinson 44's.

Likewise got some lovely photos of WTY out on the reef, on beautiful FNQ morning.

Weheka
3rd Dec 2016, 05:42
For someone very close to that operation Piano Mans words are very professional and well said.