Occurrences

Date	Occurrence #	Location	State	Aircraft	Model	Engine	Model	Summary
8/7/2022	OCC2865	Lismore Aerodrome	NSW	Jabiru	J160C			OCCURRENCE DETAILS SUBMITTED TO RAAUS: After conducting a crosswind landing during a period of dual ...
OCCURRENCE DETAILS SUBMITTED TO RAAUS: After conducting a crosswind landing during a period of dual training, another aircraft was sighted off the right hand side of the runway in grass (within the runway gable markers). The aircraft was passed without incident and the runway vacated to await the departure of the aircraft. The new CTAF frequency (132.45) had been monitored throughout the flight and regular base calls made by the training aircraft. No transmissions (e.g. taxiing or entering & backtracking) had been heard from the other aircraft, and the aircraft was not sighted by the student or instructor during the final approach until after touchdown. No damage or injury resulted from this incident.
7/7/2022	OCC2864	Sunshine Coast Aerodrome	QLD	Sling	Sling 2	Rotax	912 ULS	OCCURRENCE DETAILS SUBMITTED TO RAAUS: Pilot certificate holder left pitot cover on. On takeoff, as ...
OCCURRENCE DETAILS SUBMITTED TO RAAUS: Pilot certificate holder left pitot cover on. On takeoff, as rolling down runway, observed airspeed not climbing. Aborted takeoff and returned to hangar and did not fly. RAAus noted the pilot had not flown solo for over a year. It is recommended after any break in flying that pilots consider a refresher or review with an instructor, particularly in a new aircraft type. Pilots are recommended to review RAAP 1 Type Training and RAAP 5 What to expect from a BFR for more guidance.
2/7/2022	OCC2861	Devonport Aerodrome	TAS	Tecnam	P92 Echo Classic	Rotax	912 ULS	OCCURRENCE DETAILS SUBMITTED TO RAAUS: Local cross country flight was conducted with no issues. On l...
OCCURRENCE DETAILS SUBMITTED TO RAAUS: Local cross country flight was conducted with no issues. On late downwind approaching base power was eased back to idle for a glide approach when the pilot experienced some roughness in engine. Pilot checked to ensure the choke was not partially on and added slight power which momentarily seemed to ease rough running before experiencing a total engine failure. The pilot immediately turned toward the runway & transmitted a MAYDAY call on CTAF. Once final was safely established a restart procedure was commenced, the engine started and the aircraft was safely landed without incident. Maintenance review has been conducted by a qualified maintainer who inspected carburettor bowls, needles and floats. Not issues identified and unable to replicate issue. Further checks for fuel pressure to be conducted. Further review ongoing, however, no fault has been able to be identified to date. Determined Outcome: The aircraft owner reviewed the Carburettor Icing chart which stated that icing conditions were not present. Maintainer inspected the aircraft for defects with nil identified at time of inspection. The issue could not be replicated and has not occurred again in the seven months since the initial report was lodged.
1/7/2022	OCC3121	Caboolture	QLD	Fly Synthesis	Texan 599	Rotax	912 ULS	OCCURRENCE DETAILS SUBMITTED TO RAAUS: Defect: An earlier OMS reported that Rotax 912 ULS Oil Radia...
OCCURRENCE DETAILS SUBMITTED TO RAAUS: Defect: An earlier OMS reported that Rotax 912 ULS Oil Radiator Part No. 886002 was different in design to the original factory supplied component. An LOA was obtained by the aircraft manufacturer to allow changes to be made with regards to the fitting of the new size oil radiator to the aircraft. Rotax were contacted directly. The original oil radiator was in excess of 10 years old, and whilst it showed no visible damage or wear, the decision was taken to replace the radiator due to higher than normal engine oil temps. Replacing the oil radiator after 10 years appears to have made a significant improvement to the engine oil running temperature.
28/6/2022	OCC2858	Cardwell Aerodrome	QLD	TL Ultralight	TL-2000 Sting	rotax	912ULS	OCCURRENCE DETAILS SUBMITTED TO RAAUS: During run-up check had a problem with constant speed unit so...
OCCURRENCE DETAILS SUBMITTED TO RAAUS: During run-up check had a problem with constant speed unit so decided to return to hanger, while taxing back to the Hanger front nose wheel struck a pothole then within seconds nose wheel collapsed and propeller impacting ground
26/6/2022	OCC2855	Bowenville	QLD	Austflight ULA	Drifter A-503	Rotax	503 582	Fatal Accident involving RAAus member. RAAus accident consultants assisted police in determining the...
Fatal Accident involving RAAus member. RAAus accident consultants assisted police in determining the causal factors that led to the accident.
26/6/2022	OCC2854	Coffs Harbour Aerodrome	NSW	TL Ultralight	Sting S4	Rotax	912 ULS	OCCURRENCE DETAILS SUBMITTED TO RAAUS: The pilot was conducting a dual instructional circuit flight...
OCCURRENCE DETAILS SUBMITTED TO RAAUS: The pilot was conducting a dual instructional circuit flight on runway 21 with a student at Coffs Harbour Airport during CTAF hours (outside controlled airspace hours). They heard an aircraft report at Red Rock tracking southbound coastal to Bundagen Headland not above 500’. The aircraft then reported at the break wall at Coffs Harbour tracking southbound over water not above 500’. At this time they were on a left downwind over water for runway 21 at 1000’. The aircraft passed them in a southerly direction on their left hand side, inside the circuit pattern at approximately 500’. At this time there was also another aircraft operating in the circuit. The pilot of the other aircraft had made calls but was not aware of the aircraft conducting circuits. Education about the expected transition of airports (at or above 1500'AGL) was provided to the pilot of the transiting aircraft.
25/6/2022	OCC2859	Roseberth	QLD	Jabiru	J120-C	Jabiru	2200	Flying between Betoota and Birdsville at 1,500ft at approx. 18nm from Birdsville the engine started ...
Flying between Betoota and Birdsville at 1,500ft at approx. 18nm from Birdsville the engine started losing power only slightly at first (about 150-200 rpm) the pilot checked engine instruments and observed that the oil pressure was barely registering. The pilot reduced power and retrimmed and slowed to best glide and considered their options. They observed on their EFB that an airstrip was approx. 5 nm ahead. a slightly adjusted course for Roseberth airstrip but the engine was continuing to lose power and there was a sand dune or ridgeline between them and the airstrip and the pilot decided to rule that out as an option and decided to look for a more immediate option for an emergency landing. They made a mayday call on Birsdville CTAF. The pilot then made an emergency landing in a flat stony area of ground.
25/6/2022	OCC2852	Coldstream Aerodrome	VIC	Tecnam	P92 Echo Super	Rotax	912 ULS	OCCURRENCE DETAILS SUBMITTED TO RAAUS: Engine failure after take-off due to fuel starvation. Both fu...
OCCURRENCE DETAILS SUBMITTED TO RAAUS: Engine failure after take-off due to fuel starvation. Both fuel cocks accidentally set to closed immediately prior to entering and rolling RWY35. Landed back on airfield, downwind. No damage to aircraft, nor injury to persons onboard. Pilot noted having performed a full preflight of the aircraft, gone through the start up, pre-take-off and run up checks for the Tecnam P92, prior to a planned short x-country flight. Sufficient fuel was aboard for the planned flight. After the engine run up the pilot taxied to the holding point for RWY35, checked instruments and engine gauges, switched on fuel pump, “opened” the second fuel cock, cleared for traffic, called entering and rolling, lined up and checked compass and engine gauges again, applied throttle for take-off. At 50 knots lifted off the ground, accelerated to 55 and started positive rate of climb. At approximately 100-150ft AGL, the nose pitched up due to increased wind above shear height and climb rate increased over 1200ft/min, airspeed was still at 60 knts. At 1000ft AMSL (700ft AGL), as the pilot was about to turn off fuel pump and lower nose to clean up the aircraft, the engine sputtered and almost stopped. The pilot lowered the nose to maintain airspeed, pulled the throttle back to 50% and the engine responded positively. The throttle was moved to fully open and the engine stopped immediately and completely. The pilot checked fuel pump, engine gauges again, nothing of note but did not check the fuel selectors due to assumption both taps were open prior to take off. The pilot negated to properly check the fuel pressure gauge. Aware of the need to plan and perform a landing, the pilot started looking for a landing site to the north west of the airfield due to wind direction, as per the pre-take off brief. The option were not good on that side, and noted to the North East and East side of the line of flight there were a number of suitable paddocks with lots of space at quite a distance from the position. These paddocks could be made with a downwind or crosswind landing. Closer were some shorter paddocks which could be landed in with some slipping and S-turns but with the prospect of some damage to the aircraft due to fences, shrubs, streams, etc. The pilot turned East toward a large clear area and started a Mayday call, then looked at the departure airfield and realised that the NW wind might assist to reach the airfield, with a downwind landing on the runway as there was no traffic on the ground nor in the pattern. The pilot determined this was preferable to landing quite far from the airfield in a paddock with unknown surface quality and reasonably far from assistance. A revised Mayday call was made to advise landing back on the field, while turning toward the runway. The airfield eastern boundary was crossed at approximately 100-150ft AGL (over a couple of tall trees) and about 140 metres past the start of RWY17. The pilot turned to line up with the runway, flaps were still deployed at take-off position (15 degrees) with no more flap deployed during the landing phase. The landing was smooth and uneventful, though long - touch down was 550m down the length of RWY17. The pilot applied brakes and up elevator, to increase braking effectiveness, slowing and was able to turn off the runway at its end and stop at the holding position. On completing shutdown checks the pilot noticed that the fuel cocks were both set to the off position. Subsequently, going through the start procedure with fuel cocks open resulted in the engine starting without any issues and ignition checks and run-ups appeared fine. The pilot taxied the aircraft back to the aircraft parking area and joined the CFI in the flight school rooms for a coffee and a debrief about the incident. RAAus commends the pilot for reporting these events.
22/6/2022	OCC2850	Murwillumbah Aerodrome	NSW	Tecnam	P96 Golf	Rotax	912UL	OCCURRENCE DETAILS SUBMITTED TO RAAUS: After landing and dropping passenger off at the airfield, the...
OCCURRENCE DETAILS SUBMITTED TO RAAUS: After landing and dropping passenger off at the airfield, then applying throttle, the aircraft pitched forward, and propeller hit the ground and the plane rested on the ground. The aircraft only had the pilot on board at the time of the incident.
21/6/2022	OCC2847	South Grafton Aerodrome	NSW	Jabiru	J230-C	Jabiru	3300	At the completion of a 1 hour local flight 3 touch and go circuits on runway 08 were performed at th...
At the completion of a 1 hour local flight 3 touch and go circuits on runway 08 were performed at the completion of which the passenger suggested one more circuit. As there was no wind the pilot changed to runway 26 and after completing pre take-off checks the take-off roll was commenced. The aircraft accelerated and initially climbed well. At approx. 50 feet the engine came to a very abrupt stop without warning. On lowering the nose the appearance of the remaining runway seemed insufficient but after very heavy application of brakes the aircraft came to a stop approx. 15 meters from the end of the runway. No damaged occurred to the aircraft or occupants.
18/6/2022	OCC2846	Goulburn Aerodrome	NSW	Zenith Aircraft	STOL CH 750	Rotax	912 ULS	OCCURRENCE DETAILS SUBMITTED TO RAAus: The pilot in a STOL aircraft joined the circuit downwind at 4...
OCCURRENCE DETAILS SUBMITTED TO RAAus: The pilot in a STOL aircraft joined the circuit downwind at 45 degrees at a busy airport which included parachute operations and didn't hear the downwind call from a faster Piper aircraft (30 knots speed difference). The pilot heard another downwind call from the Piper aircraft, made a right-hand orbit away from the runway and the Piper passed by continuing the downwind leg. The pilot estimated the Piper was 600 metres apart and 200 ft below the STOL aircraft at the outside of the orbit. Turning onto base pilot of the STOL was closer to the runway than the Piper (that had a larger circuit pattern) and the Piper offered to go around to reduce the increasing congestion on base as there was another aircraft on downwind as well. The STOL pilot was going to move away from the runway to allow more distance from the Piper but from where the Piper was, they said that this may cause a conflict with the other aircraft on downwind, and they elected to go around. On base the Piper and STOL were clear of each other. The pilot of the STOL aircraft noted their usual procedure was to join mid-crosswind and in the future they would wait for parachute operations to be completed prior to joining circuit.
16/6/2022	OCC2841	Ballarat Aerodrome	VIC	Jabiru	J230-D	Jabiru	3300A	While conducting circuits for approx. 0.7 hrs and having commenced base leg turn with reduced power,...
While conducting circuits for approx. 0.7 hrs and having commenced base leg turn with reduced power, fuel pump and carby heat on, and first stage of flaps the engine began running rough. The pilot suspected carby icing, applied full power while turning towards runway threshold. The communicated to other aircraft in circuit that they had an engine running rough and that they were deviating from circuit to runway. No increase in power, reduced throttle and under partial power completed landing. The engine remained running rough on roll out then stopped. The pilot communicated they were stationary on runway, then made a single attempt to restart engine using choke with no success. They then shut the engine down and pushed the aircraft off the runway. Fuel was noted to be dripping out from under lower cowl.
15/6/2022	OCC2842	Maitland Aerodrome	NSW	TL Ultralight	TL3000 Sirius	Rotax	912 ULS	OCCURRENCE DETAILS SUBMITTED TO RAAUS: The aircraft was backtracking down runway 27 when it was caug...
OCCURRENCE DETAILS SUBMITTED TO RAAUS: The aircraft was backtracking down runway 27 when it was caught in a gust of wind in which altered the aircraft direction of travel. The pilot was unable to correct the deviation of travel in time before it left the side of runway 27 and to stop in soft grass beside the runway.
15/6/2022	OCC2843	Ballina	NSW	Tecnam	P2002 Sierra MKII	Rotax	912 ULS	OCCURRENCE DETAILS SUBMITTED TO RAAUS: The PIC thought there might have been smoke in cabin, howeve...
OCCURRENCE DETAILS SUBMITTED TO RAAUS: The PIC thought there might have been smoke in cabin, however the heater was activated and had not been in use before. The smell was coming from it.