Fletcher FU-24

Airspread Aviation

On 16 June 2017, a Pacific Aerospace Ltd FU24 Stallion, registered VH-EUO (EUO), was conducting aerial agricultural operations from a private airstrip at Redhill, 36 km north-north-east of Bathurst, New South Wales (NSW). The operations planned for that day involved the aerial application of fertiliser on three properties in the Upper Turon area of NSW. At about 0700 Eastern Standard Time on the morning of the accident, the pilot and loader drove to Bathurst Airport to fill the fuel tanker and then continued to the worksite at the Redhill airstrip in the Upper Turon area, arriving at about 0830. Work on the first property started at about 0900, with the first flight of the day commencing at 0920. Work on the first property continued until 1350 with two refuelling stops at 1048 and 1250. Approximately 40 tonnes of fertiliser was applied on the first job. In preparation for the second job, fertiliser and seed were loaded into the aircraft and maps of the second job area were passed to the pilot. At 1357, the aircraft took off for the first flight of the second job. The aircraft returned to reload, and at 1405 the aircraft took off for the second flight. A short time later, at 14:06:59, recorded flight data from the aircraft ceased. When the aircraft did not return as expected, the loader radioed the pilot. When the loader could not raise the pilot on the radio, he became concerned and drove his vehicle down the airstrip to see if the aircraft had experienced a problem on the initial climb. Finding no sign of the aircraft, he returned to the load site, while continuing to call the pilot on the radio. He then drove to the application area to search for the aircraft before returning to the load site. With no sign of the aircraft, the loader called emergency services to raise the alarm. By about 1500, police had arrived on site and a ground search commenced. A police helicopter also joined the search, which was eventually called off due to low light. The next morning, at about 0630, the search recommenced and included NSW Police State Emergency Service personnel, and local volunteers. At about 0757, the wreckage of the aircraft was found in dense bush on the side of a hill to the east of the application area. The pilot was found deceased in the aircraft. The aircraft was found approximately 17 hours after the last recorded flight data and there were no witnesses to the accident.

Phoenix Aviation - New Zealand

The pilot was engaged in an agricultural spraying mission. In unknown circumstances, the single engine aircraft impacted terrain and came to rest against a small hill in Mount Linton. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and the pilot, sole aboard, was seriously injured.

Sinarmas

Pilot was engaged in a spraying mission over an oil palm plantation in the region of North Rawajitu, Lampung Province. Less than three minutes after takeoff, the single engine aircraft stalled and crashed in a wooded area, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post impact fire and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Super Air

The pilot, who was undertaking training toward a Grade 2 Agricultural Pilot Rating, began work at approximately 0625 hours on the day of the accident. The pilot and his instructor, who was in another topdressing aircraft, flew to a block of land to the south east of Rotorua where the pilot completed 15 sowing runs, while his instructor worked in the local vicinity in the second aircraft. The pilot and instructor completed the work on this block, had a break and then transited to the Waikite Valley, arriving at approximately 0945 hours. At 1045 hours, after refuelling his aircraft, the pilot commenced sowing a ‘special mix’ fertiliser, in an alternating pattern between the instructor and pilot, with two aircraft operating from the airstrip. The alternating pattern allowed the instructor to observe and supervise the pilot during the take off and landing phases, while allowing the operation to proceed efficiently. The pilot and instructor stopped for lunch after an hour of flying, refuelled once more and then continued with their work. The amount of fertiliser that was loaded into the pilot’s aircraft was progressively increased as the work proceeded. The initial load of product was 900 kg, gradually increasing by 50 kg increments, when the instructor was satisfied that the pilot’s performance allowed this increase. The last five loads carried prior to the accident were each 1100 kg. Nothing untoward was noticed during the sowing runs, apart from the pilot aborting one landing attempt, due to the wake turbulence from the instructor’s aircraft during take off. At the time of the accident the pilot was performing ‘clearing runs’, sowing on remaining areas of land not already covered by previous sowing runs. Immediately prior to the accident, the pilot called the instructor on the radio to enquire of his location. The instructor responded with “directly behind you on the other side of the woolshed”. A few seconds later, as the instructor approached to land at the airstrip, he observed the pilot’s aircraft flying in a westerly direction at approximately 400 ft AGL. He then saw the pilot’s aircraft make a slight turn to the left. Describing what he had seen as: “he started to climb and turn slightly to the left, then the plane was in a left hand spin”. The instructor thought at the time that the aircraft spun for one and a half rotations to the left, prior to being obscured by the ridge adjacent to the airstrip. The accident occurred in daylight, at approximately 1315 hours, at Waikite Valley, Rotorua, at an elevation of 1460 ft. Latitude S 38° 18.5', longitude E 176° 17.42'.

Cloud 9 Aviation

On 20 December 2010, the owner/pilot of a Pacific Aerospace Corporation FU-24-954 Fletcher aircraft, registered VH-FNM, was conducting aerial spreading of urea fertilizer at Wynella Station; a property 40 km south-south-west of Dirranbandi, Queensland. At about 1650 Eastern Standard Time, the pilot was returning to the landing strip after the completion of an application run. The aircraft impacted the terrain, and the pilot was fatally injured.

Skydive New Zealand

Shortly after take off from Fox Glacier aerodrome, while climbing, aircraft stalled and crashed in flames in a paddock near the airfield. All nine occupants, the pilot and 8 skydivers, were killed. The new owner and operator of the aeroplane had not completed any weight and balance calculations on the aeroplane before it entered service, nor at any time before the accident. As a result the aeroplane was being flown outside its loading limits every time it carried a full load of 8 parachutists. On the accident flight the centre of gravity of the aeroplane was well rear of its aft limit and it became airborne at too low a speed to be controllable. The pilot was unable to regain control and the aeroplane continued to pitch up, then rolled left before striking the ground nearly vertically.

Ag Aviation

The pilot was engaged in a crop spraying mission on a plantation close to a farm located in Waipukurau. The accident occurred on takeoff in unknown circumstances. While the pilot was seriously injured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Sinarmas

The aircraft was completing a ferry flight from Ujung Tanjung/Pekanbaru home base to Tangar airstrip, Center of Kalimantan, with reference flight approval number D09-038960 and Security Clearance number AU05-033328, person on board was one pilot and one engineer. On 29 December 2009, the aircraft departed from Ujung Tanjung, transit at Jambi and stop overnight at Pangkal Pinang Airport, Bangka with total flight time was 3 hours. On the next day 30 December 2009, the aircraft continuing flight from Pangkal Pinang to Rahadi Oesman Airport, Ketapang, West Kalimantan and overnight at Ketapang with total flight time is 1:40 hours. On the next day 31 December 2009, the aircraft plan to continued flight to Tangar Airstrip. The aircraft was airworthy prior departure and dispatched from Ketapang with the following sequence: a. The pilot requested for start the engine at 01:17 UTC4 (08:17 Local Time); b. At 01:24 the pilot requested for taxi, and the ATC gave clearance via taxiway “A”. The pilot requested intersection runway 17 and approved by ATC c. The ATC requested for reported when ready for departure, and the pilot reported ready for departure, then the ATC gave the departure clearance. d. At 01:25, the aircraft was departed and crashed at 01:26 striking the roof of the hospital and broken down into pieces at the parking area in which have had approximate 1.5 Kilometer to the left side from the flight path centreline. The aircraft was substantially damage and the crew on board consist of one pilot in command and one aircraft maintenance engineer; both of them were fatally injured.

Rowley Aviation

During takeoff the topdressing aircraft collided with a low hill. The pilot lost control soon after the collision. During the ensuing crash he was seriously injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Super Air

Shortly after takeoff from a remote terrain located in Te Uku, near Raglan, the pilot lost control of the aircraft that collided with a fence and crashed, bursting into flames. The pilot escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.