What happened
On the night of the accident, an aircraft was tasked with transferring a critically ill patient to a hospital located in Brisbane. During the pre-flight phase, the pilot encountered difficulties starting one of the engines, though observers noted that the engines sounded normal as the aircraft began taxiing from its parking spot. At 0-310 hours, the pilot notified the Brisbane Flight Service Unit that the aircraft was taxiing and expressed a sense of urgency, stating that flight details would be provided after departure.
Two minutes later, the pilot reported the commencement of takeoff from Runway 14. Shortly after becoming airborne, the aircraft entered a dense fog bank. Witnesses subsequently heard the sound of an impact. The investigation determined that the aircraft struck a tree approximately 800 metres past the aerodrome boundary while flying roughly 10 degrees right of the runway centerline. The aircraft continued on its path and hit the ground 177 metres after the initial collision with the tree. The resulting fire almost entirely destroyed the wreckage.
Findings
While a definitive cause was not established due to the destruction caused by fire, several contributing factors were identified. The pilot was performing a hurried departure, which may have led to incorrect elevator trim settings or engines not reaching proper operating temperatures. Additionally, the aircraft's engine fire warning system had a known intermittent fault that could have distracted the pilot during the critical moments after liftoff.
Other potential factors included:
- The loss of visual references caused by entering a fog bank immediately after takeoff.
- A possible malfunction of the electric elevator trim or an in-flight fire.
- The possibility of the pilot experiencing a somatogravic illusion, which could have been exacerbated by the pilot's existing bronchial or influenza infection.