Crash SE Darwin
 

Fatal to a male, female in hospital.

https://7news.com.au/news/pilot-dies...-nt-c-17367507

They come in threes.. again. This time all connected with water..wrongly. RIP those aviators and pax. Not good start to 2025.

Once again ATSB bails out of its responsibility to investigate fatal accidents and dumps the costs onto the pockets of long suffering members of Recreational Aviation.

Agree. For example the Texan Club of the Penfield Flying School that crashed neer Penfield circa 2016 after failure to recover from what witnesses described as a flat spin The instructor was CFI of the flying school with over 20,000 flying hours. Even Victoria police were involved in the investigation. Nothing learned from the accident and nothing published

I suspect that was a Brumby.

Rather than rehash a robust discussion on the topic, I suggest that those ruminating on why the ATSB doesn't investigate look at this thread: https://www.pprune.org/pacific-gener...an-2025-a.html

In 2016 the ATSB investigated a near miss between a glider and an RV-7 at Gympie. Fatalities or injuries? Nil. Loss or damage to the aircraft? Nil.

6 years later, the ATSB refused to investigate a mid-air collision between a glider and a factory-built ‘recreational’ aircraft near Gympie. Fatalities? Two. Aircraft lost? Two.

The change in between was for reasons of bureaucratic and political expedience, justified by the ATSB’s self-proclaimed ability to foretell the accidents from which there would be little - if anything - to learn, without actually investigating what actually happened.

This might give a bit of context.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-...rwin/104812482

If an aircraft accident results in a fatal event, I would have thought there would have been a mandatory report filed for the Coroner.
The coroner is all powerful, and I would have thought had the power the power to instruct ATSB to investigate. I just do not understand.
If and ATSB person or family member was involved ATSB would be swarming all over the scene.....?

Certianly does a lot of low level stuff.

https://pilotographer.com.au

If the causes of an accident are so obvious and easy, the ATSB would obviously be able to conduct and complete an investigation easily.

Give it a rest C Mac, I have said it before and I will repeat it that your pathological hatred of all things ATSB is tiresome.

A little surprised it didn't happen sooner. Thanks nomess for the link. I had heard it was this aircraft type but wasn't smart enough to make the link.

Dangerous things cameras! Makes people do things they normally wouldn’t do!

Deaths reported to Coroner (ref #9)
 

Deaths in prescribed circumstances are reported to the coroner as per the relevant coroner’s act applicable in NT.
Accidental deaths are indeed reported to the coroner and a coronial autopsy will be performed (full autopsy, also including toxicology).
Then mechanism of death is usually determined (all going well) in this instance most likely multi-trauma. The cause of death relates to the lead up to the death.
A coronial inquest is usually held at the coroner’s discretion if said inquest is in the public interest.
Often inquests are held if there are a series of deaths in similar circumstances with then recommendations being made.
The coroner’s court is not a criminal court but can refer matters to the public prosecutor for consideration.

He may have a Rec Aus low level endorsement.
Low Level - Recreational Aviation Australia (raaus.com.au)

It's the same as a GA LL endorsement, you still need a valid reason plus written permission from the land owner.

Perhaps he was recording the fatal flight too? One for the investigators to look in to.

Thanks Squawk for that.
Info here: Low-Level Flying - RAAus
Pilot would have to get permission even for flying over crown land.
Unless all his low level stuff was done with the land owner's permission or in an approved low flying area.
As for valid reason...? Who knows, there might've been one, might not...
Doesn't look like the low level flying was for the purposes of take-off or landing though...

Engine out so low at that speed, and you'd have zero energy to climb.
Looks exciting - but crazy.