What happened
On 8 December 2018, a Pilatus Britten-Norman BN2A-20 Islander, registered VH-OBL, was performing a positioning flight from Cambridge Airport to the Bathurst Harbour aeroplane landing area in Tasmania. Operated by Airlines of Tasmania, the flight was being conducted under visual flight rules. The aircraft departed Cambridge at approximately 0748 Eastern Daylight-saving Time and was intended to arrive at Bathurst Harbour around 0830 to collect five passengers for a scheduled return trip.
During the flight, the aircraft traveled southwest toward its destination. At roughly 0816, the aircraft reached a gap in the Arthur Range known as the portals, a route often utilized by the operator when cloud cover prevents passage over the mountains. Following this passage, the aircraft performed several turns at altitudes lower than the surrounding peaks. At 0829, an emergency locator transmitter associated with VH-OBL activated, prompting the Australian Maritime Safety Authority to notify the Tasmanian Police and the aircraft operator.
Search and rescue operations involved a Challenger 604 jet and two helicopters. While the jet reached the signal location by 0925, heavy cloud cover prevented the crew from spotting the wreckage. A police helicopter arrived later that morning but noted a thick wall of cloud covering the eastern side of the Western Arthur Range. Despite extensive efforts throughout the day, the wreckage was not visually confirmed until approximately 1900 due to deteriorating weather and low-level clouds. The wreckage was located in the mountainous terrain of the Southwest National Park. Upon inspection the following day, it was confirmed that the pilot had sustained fatal injuries.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating in mountainous terrain at altitudes below the surrounding peaks.
- Heavy cloud cover and fluctuating weather conditions significantly hindered the search and rescue efforts.