Winterbourne - Winterbourne

On December 22, 1986 at 12:00 AM, Winterbourne - Winterbourne experienced a crash involving De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver, operated by Aerial Agriculture, with the event recorded near Walcha New South Wales.

The flight was categorized as spraying (agricultural) and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

1 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Superphosphate spreading was being carried out, with the aircraft uplifting one tonne loads about every 6 minutes. Fuel endurance with both tanks full was approximately 2 hours. The pilot was conducting his 25th takeoff for the day, about one hour after refuelling. Witnesses observed that the aircraft did not become airborne at the usual point, two-thirds of the way along the 675 metre strip. Lift-off finally occurred at the end of the strip, but almost immediately afterwards the aircraft clipped a fence. It was seen to sink slightly, before climbing at a steeper than normal angle until some 250 metres beyond the fence. At this point the nose dropped suddenly and the aircraft dived into rising ground in a steep nose down attitude. Fire broke out on impact and consumed much of the wreckage. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration VH-AAY, MSN 136, year of manufacture 1951.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -30.9834°, 151.5940°.