What happened
On 21 February 2017, a Beechcraft B200 King Air, registered VH-ZCR, was prepared for a charter flight from Essendon Airport, Victoria, to King Island, Tasmania. The aircraft, operated by Corporate & Leisure Aviation, was positioned on the apron the previous day. During the morning of the accident, the pilot performed pre-flight inspections and interacted with hangar staff before the four passengers arrived at the terminal. After refueling and boarding the passengers, the pilot requested taxi clearance and proceeded to holding point 'TANGO' for runway 17. The aircraft did not utilize the designated engine run-up bay during its taxi sequence.
At 0858, the pilot received takeoff clearance with instructions to depart on a heading of 200°. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft required a longer distance than usual to reach rotation speed. Once airborne, witnesses noted a distinct yaw to the left. The aircraft entered a shallow climb with the landing gear still extended and began a significant left sideslip. While tracking in an arc away from the runway centerline, the aircraft reached a peak altitude of roughly 160 feet. The pilot broadcasted a repeated 'MAYDAY' call over the tower frequency. Shortly after, the aircraft struck the roof of a retail outlet center in the Bulla Road Precinct, coming to rest in a loading area. The impact triggered a fire at the site.
Findings
- The aircraft's takeoff roll was longer than anticipated.
- The aircraft experienced a sustained left sideslip immediately after becoming airborne.
- The impact resulted in 5 fatalities among the pilot and passengers.
- The crash caused significant damage to the building and nearby vehicles, while two individuals on the ground sustained minor injuries.