Forty Years On
Today marks 40 years since Fred Valentich disappeared on a flight to King Island. |
I was part of the search, my log-book shows 3.20 in VH-MBT (a Chieftain from AAC). Covered a lot of sea without a trace on the 24th. Very strange that one. VH-DSJ, a C182 if my memory is correct?
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VH-DSJ, a C182 if my memory is correct? DF. |
My God is it that long ago? I remember it as I was working at EN at the time, he's still out there, somewhere! Cant imagine what that time must have been like for his family/friends, even ATC, very disturbing:-(
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Time marches on; hard to imagine it will be 32 years next January since the tragic suicide into Connellan's hangar at Alice Springs.
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His father, Guido, was a lovely man and he never gave up the search for his son.
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It may come as a surprise to many “believers” that they did actually find wreckage from his aircraft a fair while after. |
It may come as a surprise to many “believers” that they did actually find wreckage from his aircraft a fair while after. |
Who was this person? Was he famous? I've only been in aviation for 27 years, but have a keen interest in old stories.
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https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=166155 https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications...air/197802563/ The story is all there. Yes can’t believe it is so long |
Originally Posted by Pinky the pilot
(Post 10288374)
Do tell, Squawk7700. A genuine request BTW; I'm not criticising your post.
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From WikiPedia, A Department of Transport (DOT) investigation into Valentich's disappearance was unable to determine the cause, but that it was "presumed fatal" for Valentich.[2] Five years after Valentich's aircraft went missing, an engine cowl flap was found washed ashore on Flinders Island. In July 1983, the Bureau of Air Safety Investigation asked the Royal Australian Navy Research Laboratory (RANRL) about the likelihood that the cowl flap might have "travelled" to its ultimate position from the region where the aircraft disappeared. The bureau noted that "the part has been identified as having come from a Cessna 182 aircraft between a certain range of serial numbers" which included Valentich's aircraft. |
How would a cowl flap float? Or to what would it be attached to that would float?
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In their words, it crawled the sea floor. |
I’ve read quite a bit into this incident, I find it interesting. The ATSB (or whatever they were called at the time) refused to ever release the ATC recordings, is this normal? He did report rough running of his engine, if he lost engine power I imagine his AH was ran off the engine vac pump, not the best thing to lose at night. I’ve seen quite a few displays of shooting starts on clear nights, sometimes I would swear it was a light about to come through my windscreen. i would love for this mystery to be resolved, I imagine after 40 years in the shallow ocean there would be bugger all left of a light aircraft, maybe just an old rusted engine block. |
Don’t forget though, that this individual was apparently obsessed with UFO’s and that was well known... |
he lost engine power I imagine his AH was ran off the engine vac pump, not the best thing to lose at night. |
ATC recordings |
Originally Posted by Squawk7700
(Post 10288469)
Don’t forget though, that this individual was apparently obsessed with UFO’s and that was well known... if this was self inflicted and he wanted to remain a mystery, he’s done a great job. 40 years later and we’re still scratching our heads. Although i think I read that the possibility of suicide was completely ruled out by those close to him. |
Originally Posted by Flyboy1987
(Post 10288912)
Although i think I read that the possibility of suicide was completely ruled out by those close to him. |
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