AirMed PA-31 VH-HJE down south of Archerfield
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Navajo - off airport landing south Brisbane - pilot OK
Courier Mail is reporting a twin down in a Hillcrest rail corridor south of Brisbane this morning - pilot OK, even though it looks like the whole front end into the cockpit is missing, and the starboard engine was torn off after impact with trees.
Cited as an 'aeromedical plane,' only the pilot on board - some mechanical issues forced the landing, they say in the article.
Cited as an 'aeromedical plane,' only the pilot on board - some mechanical issues forced the landing, they say in the article.
I just watched the 7 news report and the reporter said
‘I am told the pilot, a woman in her 30’s is a cattle farmers daughter and was flying it to get her hours up, being a cattle farmers daughter she is probably familiar with planes’ 🤣😂
geez I hope so.
‘I am told the pilot, a woman in her 30’s is a cattle farmers daughter and was flying it to get her hours up, being a cattle farmers daughter she is probably familiar with planes’ 🤣😂
geez I hope so.
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Going by Flightradar24 it appears to be VH HJE landing just short of Archerfield in about the only clear area available not too long after first light
Congratulations to the pilot and hoping any injuries are minor
Congratulations to the pilot and hoping any injuries are minor
AirMed PA-31 VH-HJE down south of Archerfield
Pilot ‘minor injuries’ according to media. Very lucky if that is true.
https://www.9news.com.au/national/li...4-e636244d95f1
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-...ured/102200418
Appears to be a forced landing (asymmetric?) en-route from YSBK. Good job getting it into an area with few options and just after dawn. Awful thing to go through. Seriously hope the pilot gets the ongoing support needed.
https://www.9news.com.au/national/li...4-e636244d95f1
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-...ured/102200418
Appears to be a forced landing (asymmetric?) en-route from YSBK. Good job getting it into an area with few options and just after dawn. Awful thing to go through. Seriously hope the pilot gets the ongoing support needed.
Last edited by sagan; 6th Apr 2023 at 23:27.
Only 1 POB being the pilot. Will be interesting to find out what went wrong as it definitely should have been able to fly on one engine under normal circumstance.
From some close up pictures looks like the RH prop is feathered and the LH one was in fine position and all bent back as if rotating at impact. Bankstown to Archerfield is a decent length flight for a PA-31, not max range though, definitely would need some aux fuel, maybe fuel related who knows. Looks like no gear out so probably happened very quick to decide to land there, although gear would be problematic with both engines failed due to no hydraulic pumps. I do like the 7 news comment that "she was familiar with aircraft", hmm gee, a pilot that has some knowledge of aircraft, but only because she was from a station.
PS; Looks like about 10 minutes before landing the speed came back significantly, to what looks like below blue line, then suddenly accelerates again with higher rate of descent until slowing for impact. Whatever happened started about 10-15 minutes before.
PS; Looks like about 10 minutes before landing the speed came back significantly, to what looks like below blue line, then suddenly accelerates again with higher rate of descent until slowing for impact. Whatever happened started about 10-15 minutes before.
Last edited by 43Inches; 7th Apr 2023 at 00:32.
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For those curious, this looks to be where they landed, came in from the South but from the photos appear to have wrapped on that tree, spun around and ended up facing South. Looking at FlightRadar24 they didn't have a lot of time to decide with the rain and weather around either so big kudos on getting out with relatively minor injuries.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/vh-hje
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/vh-hje
From some close up pictures looks like the RH prop is feathered and the LH one was in fine position and all bent back as if rotating at impact. Bankstown to Archerfield is a decent length flight for a PA-31, not max range though, definitely would need some aux fuel, maybe fuel related who knows. Looks like no gear out so probably happened very quick to decide to land there, although gear would be problematic with both engines failed due to no hydraulic pumps. I do like the 7 news comment that "she was familiar with aircraft", hmm gee, a pilot that has some knowledge of aircraft, but only because she was from a station.
PS; Looks like about 10 minutes before landing the speed came back significantly, to what looks like below blue line, then suddenly accelerates again with higher rate of descent until slowing for impact. Whatever happened started about 10-15 minutes before.
PS; Looks like about 10 minutes before landing the speed came back significantly, to what looks like below blue line, then suddenly accelerates again with higher rate of descent until slowing for impact. Whatever happened started about 10-15 minutes before.
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For those curious, this looks to be where they landed, came in from the South but from the photos appear to have wrapped on that tree, spun around and ended up facing South. Looking at FlightRadar24 they didn't have a lot of time to decide with the rain and weather around either so big kudos on getting out with relatively minor injuries.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/vh-hje
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/vh-hje
In about 2 years time the ATSB will let us know what happened so we can learn from it!
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Why these old POS pistons are flying aeromedical flights in 2023 is beyond me. Should not be allowed.
Not the first time an aging ex Airtex Chieftain can’t maintain altitude on a single engine
* They must have removed the load to get the pilot out looking at the scene, looks like no crew door or too damaged to open. Still eightish eskies would still only get you to mid weight of that size unless they are carrying lead weights or something, otherwise loading them would be a trial in itself if they were much more than 50kg each.
Looks like about 10 minutes before landing the speed came back significantly, to what looks like below blue line, then suddenly accelerates again with higher rate of descent until slowing for impact. Whatever happened started about 10-15 minutes before.