The Oaks mid-air collision | December 20, 2024 | Illawarra Mercury - video Dailymotion

Illawarra Mercury

WATCH: The sequence of events leading up to a mid-air collision at The Oaks on October 26, 2024, released by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Video by ATSB

Transcript

00:00The following video contains some accident scene imagery which may upset some viewers.

00:04Viewer discretion is advised.

00:06The ATSB has released a preliminary report into the mid-air collision between two light

00:10aircraft which occurred near the Oakes Aerodrome southwest of Sydney.

00:14On the morning of the 26th of October 2024, a commercial pilot-licensed flight test was

00:19being conducted in a Cessna 182, registered Alpha Papa November, departing from Shell

00:23Harbour Airport, a non-towered aerodrome near Wollongong, NSW.

00:27On board were a pilot under examination and a CASA-approved flight test examiner.

00:32On the same morning, a private flight was being conducted in a Jabiru UL450, registered

00:37194079, departing from the Oakes, a non-towered aerodrome near Camden in Sydney, NSW, to meet

00:42with two other pilots who were also flying to Cessnock from the Oakes.

00:47The Cessna took off from Shell Harbour shortly after 10.30am, crossing the coastline near

00:51Wollongong Beach and then followed the coast north towards Sydney.

00:55As the Cessna approached Macquarie Lighthouse, near the entrance to Sydney Harbour, flight

00:58data indicated the aircraft conducted a large S-manoeuvre, consistent with an aerial photography

01:03task planned prior to the flight.

01:05The flight then continued to a beam-long reef, before tracking inland, consistent with a

01:09diversion from the planned route.

01:12The Cessna then continued tracking in a south-westerly direction towards Camden Airport, a towered

01:16aerodrome where the flight conducted circuits.

01:20At about this time, the Jabiru had not long taken off nearby at the Oakes Aerodrome, heading

01:24north towards Cessnock Airport.

01:26However, shortly after take-off, they decided to turn back after a report of turbulence.

01:31On return, the Jabiru made a 7 nautical mile inbound call on the Oakes radio frequency,

01:35and a short time later crossed directly overhead the aerodrome in preparation for a landing

01:39on runway 18L.

01:41On-board video and ADS-B data from the Jabiru show the aircraft flew along the runway at

01:45a height of about 100 feet before conducting a go-round.

01:49At about this time, the Cessna departed the Camden Airport control zone on a westerly

01:53heading.

01:54On the go-round, the Jabiru made a right turn onto downwind for runway 18L.

01:59Tracking data showed the Cessna make a level left turn onto a southerly heading while starting

02:02a straight, steady climb.

02:05On-board video showed the Jabiru pilot looking outside and transmitting over the flight radio

02:09on the Oakes frequency.

02:11At this time, the Cessna and Jabiru were on relatively constant flight path trajectories.

02:15The on-board video showed neither aircraft make avoiding action.

02:19Subsequently, the left wing of the Jabiru collided with the left wing strut of the Cessna

02:23while on near reciprocal headings.

02:26Following the collision, the left wings of both aircraft separated.

02:29Closed-circuit television from a nearby resident showed both aircraft descend steeply and were

02:33destroyed in the subsequent collision with terrain.

02:36Sadly, all three pilots were fatally injured.

02:39The ADS-B's investigation is continuing and will include examination of aircraft components

02:44and other items recovered from the accident site, further analysis of video recordings

02:48and radio transmissions, analysis of procedures at non-controlled aerodromes and further review

02:53of communication, electronic conspicuity and surveillance equipment.

The Oaks mid-air collision | December 20, 2024 | Illawarra Mercury

Category

Transcript

Recommended