What happened
A sightseeing excursion traveling between Cradle Mountain and Lake St. Clair ended in an emergency landing following an engine malfunction. The flight, operated with a pilot and four passengers, departed Cradle Mountain at roughly 1310 ESuT. Due to the presence of turbulence, the Cessna 207 maintained an altitude of 7000 ft while traveling toward Lake St. Clair before beginning its return leg.
As the aircraft approached the airfield for a straight-in arrival at strip 02, the pilot had configured the plane with two stages of flaps and reduced the manifold pressure to about 19 inches. Approximately half a mile from the runway, the engine ceased operation without warning. The pilot issued a MAYDAY call, which was acknowledged by Melbourne air traffic control.
During the descent, the pilot attempted various troubleshooting procedures, including changing the fuel tank selection, but the engine remained non-functional. Realizing the airfield was unreachable, the pilot steered the aircraft toward an open area to the right of the approach path. The aircraft made a heavy impact on its main wheels and slid for about 40 meters. The force of the landing caused the nose wheel to detach, damaged the propeller, and partially separated the right wing from the airframe. While the pilot and some occupants were unharmed, two passengers sustained serious injuries.
Findings
- The engine stopped functioning abruptly during the final approach phase.
- The engine failed to respond to troubleshooting efforts, including fuel tank reconfiguration.