Light plane crash near Port Macquarie

[Desert Flower]

Reports on TV of a light plane crash near Port Macquarie.

One person 'critical' after light plane crash near Port Macquarie
A man has been airlifted to hospital in a critical condition after a light plane crashed near Port Macquarie Airport on the New South Wales mid-north coast.

Emergency crews were called to the area at about 8:30pm on Friday, following reports a light plane had activated a distress beacon.

The NSW police helicopter and Westpac rescue helicopter were on the scene and supported the search for the plane, understood to be a Diamond D20.

A 25-year-old man was taken to Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital with head injuries in a critical condition.

The 25-year-old female pilot was also pulled from the wreckage and taken to Port Macquarie Hospital with a shoulder injury.

Not 100% sure but the rego looked to be VH-YPQ which is actually a Diamond DA 40.

DF.

[PoppaJo]

Footage on 9 News confirms the above rego.

Looks like departure of 21. Footage on the news has it upside down in a swamp with the tail half detached.

[Desert Flower]

Footage on 9 News confirms the above rego.

Looks like departure of 21. Footage on the news has it upside down in a swamp with the tail half detached.

Yes rescue crews did say it was very awkward to get to because of the location. They were lucky in one respect that the emergency beacon was activated, otherwise who knows how long it would have been before they were found. Have to wonder if maybe spatial disorientation was a factor.

DF.

[Band a Lot]

My guess DF was-


Unexpected engine failure, that may have lead to disorientated factors under the conditions - that just went bad.

[Seabreeze]

My guess DF was-


Unexpected engine failure, that may have lead to disorientated factors under the conditions - that just went bad.

Moon rise was at 7:32 pm local, so it is possible that the accident happened prior to moonrise;

[LeadSled]

They are extremely lucky, given the usual failure rate of fixed ELTs in real world crashed, particularly if water is a concern.
I hope they will both be OK.
Tootle pip!!

[RV6JOY]

Hi Leadsled, have you any reason to think the ELT was a fixed one and not a handheld?

This from the Daily Telegraph may have helped with location of the plane!

The forced landing was spotted by a passer-by, according to AIAC chief pilot and chief flying instructor Kevin McMurtrie.

[Vref+5]

Somatogravic illusion?

[skkm]

Hi Leadsled, have you any reason to think the ELT was a fixed one and not a handheld?

Having flown aircraft from AIAC previously, they do not usually carry a handheld ELT, relying on the DA40’s factory installed unit.

[gerry111]

Somatogravic illusion?
Perhaps we shouldn't overthink this one, for a change? :uhoh:

[LeadSled]

Perhaps we shouldn't overthink this one, for a change?gerry111,
With apologies to a current beer advertisement, maybe the investigation could be be conducted by an "Under Thinktank"??
Re. fixed ELT, my assumption, based on the injuries to the occupants.
Tootle pip!!

[StickWithTheTruth]

Prelim report: Investigation: AO-2017-090 - Collision with terrain involving Diamond DA40, VH-YPQ, near Port Macquarie Airport, NSW on 8 September 2017 (http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2017/aair/ao-2017-090/)

...now I'll preface this by saying I wasn't in the cockpit, therefore I don't really know how I would have reacted. It's also been a while since I have flown at YPMQ, but...

Why on earth did the instructor elect to do the 'impossible turn' when there was a clearing directly ahead of the runway which is almost 600m in length! You would think having been an instructor there and presumably it not being their first day on the job that with an engine issue at 400ft landing straight ahead would be the best option.


Because it was dark?

A lit runway would be far more appealing and it wasn't a full loss of power. Lots to run through in your head in a short space of time.

[MagnumPI]

StickWithTheTruth, you are entirely correct and I'd forgotten that this happened at night, my mistake! I've deleted my post.

[Cloudee]

Report finally out. https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/5778256/ao-2017-090-final.pdf What happenedOn the evening of 8 September 2017, an instructor and student from the Australian International Aviation College were preparing to conduct night training circuits at Port Macquarie Airport, New South Wales, in a Diamond DA40 NG aircraft, registered VH-YPQ. As it was the student’s first time conducting night circuits, once lined up on the runway, the instructor took the aircraft controls for the take-off.

After take-off, as the aircraft climbed, the instructor heard and felt the engine and propeller surging. Propeller speed and engine power fluctuations occurred from about 200 ft above the runway and increased in amplitude as the aircraft climbed to about 400 ft. Recorded data showed that the engine was producing full power despite the fluctuations. The instructor interpreted the fluctuations as a partial engine power loss and commenced a left turn, aiming to return and land on the runway in the opposite direction to the take-off. The instructor had considered landing straight ahead but assessed that there was power available to turn and that they would be unable to see and avoid trees or to be sure to land in a suitable clearing ahead.

In the 10 seconds that the instructor was assessing and making decisions about a perceived partial power loss, the airspeed reduced from 75 to 69 kt due to the aircraft’s nose-up pitch attitude. Then, at the same time as commencing the turn back towards the runway, the instructor reduced engine power to 30 per cent, while maintaining a nose-up attitude, and the airspeed reduced rapidly.

During the turn, the aircraft aerodynamically stalled resulting in a loss of control. Although the aircraft pitched down and the instructor subsequently increased the power, control was not regained. The aircraft descended and collided with trees, coming to rest inverted. The student and instructor were seriously injured, and the aircraft was destroyed.

[josephfeatherweight]

Amazing that they survived such an accident.
I hope they're doing ok now.