What happened
During a planned night charter flight departing from Essendon Airport, an aircraft experienced a critical loss of power shortly after takeoff. The flight was intended to be a dinner service over Melbourne and Port Phillip Bay. Following standard pre-flight procedures, including engine runups and the selection of 20 degrees of flaps, the pilot began the takeoff roll on runway 17 at 2036 ESuT. At this time, the aircraft was operating in daylight conditions with light winds and 10 km visibility.
As the aircraft reached a takeoff safety speed of 84 kts at an altitude of less than 50 ft, the right engine suffered a loss of power. The pilot observed a significant drop in boost pressure on the manifold pressure gauge, indicating a potential partial engine failure. During the subsequent emergency, the pilot attempted to retract the landing gear; while the gear initially failed to retract, a second attempt was successful. However, the loss of power caused the airspeed to decay from 76 kts down to the minimum controllable airspeed (VMCA) of 72 kts. To prevent an uncontrollable roll to the right, the pilot reduced power on the left engine.
Despite efforts to maintain wings level and steer the aircraft toward a street, the plane could not maintain altitude. The aircraft struck powerlines and subsequently hit the roofs of multiple houses before coming to rest against the front wall of a residence. The accident occurred approximately one minute after the takeoff roll began. There were no fatalities, though the occupants required evacuation, with some being assisted by the pilot, passengers, and emergency responders.
Findings
- The right engine experienced a loss of power shortly after the aircraft became airborne.
- The aircraft's airspeed decayed below the minimum controllable airspeed (VMCA) due to the engine failure and subsequent power reduction on the remaining engine.