Accident Details
At 1849, the pilot of VH-TDU contacted Sydney Flight Service Center, reporting that the aircraft was taxiing for runway 22 and that he would call again on departure. No further transmissions were received. The aircraft then completed an apparently normal takeoff and retracted the landing gear. Shortly after becoming airborne, it entered a gradual descending left turn and struck the ground. The initial impact occurred on the left wing tip approximately 1700 metres south of the departure end of Runway 22, at a speed of about 125 knots. The aircraft bounced, rolled inverted, and struck the ground again some 100 metres further east. It then slid across the ground for an additional 230 metres. A small fuel-fed fire broke out in the right wing but extinguished after several minutes. The captain was killed, while five occupants suffered minor injuries.
Investigation
Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of pre-existing mechanical malfunction or defect, except for an open circuit in the gyro motor of the pilot's turn co-ordinator. The instrument had not been mechanically damaged during impact, and it is likely that the fault existed prior to the accident. It could not be determined whether the pilot was aware that the instrument was unserviceable. All other instruments, including the primary flight instruments used for attitude control, were found to be serviceable and calibrated within specified limits. There was no evidence of pilot incapacitation prior to impact. The pilot's injuries prevented him from recalling details of the final flight, and passengers reported no awareness of any abnormality until the aircraft struck the ground. The pilot's current log book was not located; consequently, while he was known to have considerable experience flying Cessna 340 aircraft, his total hours on this specific type are unknown.
Findings
The probable cause of the accident was not established with certainty. According to the official investigation, there is insufficient evidence to determine the cause, but the most likely explanation is that the pilot, influenced by fatigue, did not adequately refer to the flight instruments during the takeoff and initial climb.