Bankstown – Benalla

On July 28, 2004 at 10:48 AM, Bankstown – Benalla experienced a crash involving Piper PA-31 Cheyenne, operated by D %26 R Henderson, with the event recorded near Benalla Victoria.

The flight was categorized as executive/corporate/business and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a mountains crash site.

6 people were known to be on board, 6 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: 5, passenger fatalities: 5, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. At 0906 Eastern Standard Time on 28 July 2004, a Piper Aircraft Corporation PA31T Cheyenne aircraft, registered VH-TNP, with one pilot and five passengers, departed Bankstown, New South Wales on a private, instrument flight rules (IFR) flight to Benalla, Victoria. Instrument meteorological conditions at the destination necessitated an instrument approach and the pilot reported commencing a Global Positioning System (GPS) non-precision approach (NPA) to Benalla. When the pilot had not reported landing at Benalla as expected, a search for the aircraft was commenced. Late that afternoon the crew of a search helicopter located the burning wreckage on the eastern slope of a tree covered ridge, approximately 34 km southeast of Benalla. All occupants were fatally injured and the aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post-impact fire.

Aircraft reference details include registration VH-TNP, MSN 31-7920026, year of manufacture 1979.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -36.5519°, 145.9843°.