When is a crash not a crash?
 

Reading through ATSB write-up of the recent "Collision with Terrain" of Vixxen VH-VIK (https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications...rt/ao-2024-010) we find that "the pilot detected a low oil indication and diverted the aircraft to Tumut" and "during approach, the engine failed". The aircraft then "collided with terrain and sustained substantial damage" leading to the ATSB deciding to have a gander (maybe because it wasn't far from Canberra?)

Presumably if the pilot had been fortunate enough to have picked a more suitable landing location (or simply had better luck that day) aside from the locals, no-one in Canberra would have even noticed.

Other than an oil leak, what are they expecting to find? That the pilot needs to practice more PFLs?? :uhoh:

Well I'd imagine they might be interested in what caused the oil leak. If it's a faulty part or a manufacturing defect it could be rather relevant for other owners/operators of the Vixxen.

You're kidding, right?!? (a) if exactly the same accident happened to the same aircraft with numbers instead of letters on the side the ATSB wouldn't have investigated at all and (b) if the pilot hadn't bent the aircraft, even RAAus wouldn't have been involved.

It doesn't take much of a look through the RAAus Accident Database to see folks prang these things for a lot more reasons than an oil leak.

Who knows and who cares? Maybe they happened to have an investigator right nearby when they heard about it? Maybe it's a new investigator doing something for training? Maybe they have a special interest in Vixxens because of all the prangs you mentioned? Maybe there is a link between the Pilot and other ongoing investigations?

Why even post this? "Oh no, the ATSB investigating an incident?! DOING EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE MANDATED TO DO?! how scandalous, the people must be told"

The answer to your question is: Because ATSB picks and chooses what it's "mandated to do" these days, and the basis of that choice seems quite incoherent - at least from an objective safety benefit perspective.