What happened
On the evening of October 8, a twin-engine airplane departed from Pearce Air Force Base, located near Perth, to conduct a night training mission. The aircraft carried four crew members belonging to the 68th Reserve Squadron based in Geraldton.
After takeoff, the pilot maintained a heading of 111° for approximately 20 minutes before receiving clearance to return to base. During the execution of a left turn, the aircraft stalled and subsequently dove into the ground. The plane crashed in a prairie area, resulting in the deaths of all four occupants.
Findings
The accident occurred during a routine night training exercise. The immediate sequence involved a stall during a turning maneuver which led to an uncontrolled descent into terrain. All personnel on board were killed in the impact.