What happened
While operating a flight from Essendon to Wonthaggi, the pilot of VH-SDV, an aircraft type, initiated a descent to 3,600 feet above sea level. In response to encountering turbulence, the crew lowered the landing gear and decreased both airspeed and engine power. The aircraft entered a holding pattern located south south west of the Wonchaggi navigation aid.
During this period, the aircraft continued to lose altitude until it struck trees situated at 8,65 feet above sea level. At the time of the incident, the area was experiencing rain, gale force winds, and low cloud cover. While no thunderstorms or microbursts were present, other pilots in the vicinity reported severe turbulence and a very low cloud base. Witnesses on the ground observed an aircraft matching the description of VH-SDV flying beneath a ragged, misty cloud layer shortly before the impact.
Data indicated that the aircraft had dropped below its intended altitude of 3,600 feet during the approach to Wonthaggi. The passengers on board reported no signs of distress or mechanical issues from the pilot; they believed the descent was a standard procedure for an upcoming landing at Port Welshpool. There were zero fatalities and zero injuries reported in this instance.
Findings
An investigation into the crash revealed no mechanical defects within the aircraft. The primary factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's attempt to fly beneath a low cloud base to regain visual flight conditions. The pilot sought to descend below the clouds in hopes of reaching Port Welshpool, a destination where weather conditions were expected to be clearer, despite the lack of an approved navigation aid at that location.