Two People Fatally Injured When Aircraft Impacted Water During Air Display

The Australian Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary report from an accident involving a Grumman G-73 amphibious aircraft taking part in an air display in January.

According to the report, on January 26,2017, the pilot of the aircraft registered VH-CQA (CQA), was participating in an air display as part of the City of Perth Australia Day Skyworks event. On board were the pilot and a passenger. The weather was fine with a recorded wind of about 20 km/hr from the south-west and a temperature of about 39° C.

The pilot of CQA was flying ‘in company’ with a Cessna Caravan amphibian and conducted a series of circuits that included low-level fly-pasts of the Langley Park foreshore. After the second fly-past, the pilot of CQA commenced a third circuit, while the Caravan departed the area.

As part of the third circuit, the pilot of CQA flew in an easterly direction, parallel with the South Perth foreshore, before commencing a left turn. This would have facilitated a third pass in a westerly direction along the Langley Park foreshore. During the left turn, CQA rolled left and pitched nose down, consistent with an aerodynamic stall. The aircraft collided with the water and broke up. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured.

The ATSB completed the on-site phase of its investigation on 4 February 2017. No pre-existing aircraft defects, which may have contributed to the collision with water, were identified. The ATSB has retained several items and components from the aircraft for further examination. This includes a fuel totaliser, a navigation unit and a mobile phone.

The investigation is continuing and will include:

• examination of numerous witness reports and images and a significant quantity of video footage taken on the day by members of the public, media outlets and so on
• review of the aircraft’s maintenance records, operational records for recent flights and pilot training records
• review of the meteorological conditions at the time
• an examination of aircraft performance and other operational factors
• further examination of the recorded flight radar, radio and Global Positioning System data
• review of the planning, approval and oversight of the air display, including a focus on safety and risk management practices.

Should any critical safety issues emerge during the course of the investigation, the ATSB will immediately bring those issues to the attention of the relevant authorities or organisations. This will allow those authorities and organisations to consider safety action to address the safety issues.

(Images provided with ATSB report)

FMI: www.atsb.gov.au