Flight History
Connair Flight 1263, operated with a DH-114 Heron registered VH-CLS, was en route from Alice Springs to Cairns with a scheduled stop at Mount Isa. The aircraft taxied to runway 30 at Alice Springs and was cleared for takeoff at 12:57 hours. It landed at Mount Isa at 15:35 hours after a visual approach. At 16:46 hours, VH-CLS taxied to runway 34 at Mount Isa and reported departure at 16:55 hours, climbing to a planned cruising altitude of 7,000 feet. Position reports were received at appropriate points. At 18:01 hours, VH-CLS advised it was descending to cruise at 6,000 feet. At 18:49 hours, the crew reported being at Saucebottle Creek, 146 km southwest of Cairns, at 6,000 feet, with an estimated time of arrival at Biboohra VOR of 19:12 hours.
Accident Sequence
The Cairns aerodrome/approach controller advised the crew to expect an ILS approach to runway 15. At 18:54 hours, an air traffic clearance authorized VH-CLS to enter the control area via the 049-degree radial of Biboohra VOR at 6,000 feet with an altimeter setting of 1006 millibars. At about 18:55 hours, a special weather report indicated a thunderstorm without precipitation in the vicinity, with wind from 360 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 10 km or more, and scattered clouds. This was reported to the crew. At 19:10 hours, VH-CLS reported over Biboohra VOR at 6,000 feet and was cleared to descend to 3,700 feet for an ILS approach to runway 15, with instructions to report at Buchan Locator. The aircraft left 6,000 feet. At 19:17:29 hours, VH-CLS reported over Buchan Locator turning outbound onto a heading of 330 degrees, standard for the ILS procedure. The controller cleared the aircraft for the ILS approach and instructed it to report leaving 3,700 feet. At 19:20:54 hours, VH-CLS reported leaving 3,700 feet, indicating commencement of the final approach segment. The controller acknowledged and provided wind and landing clearance, noting the runway was wet. At 19:22:53 hours, the controller advised of a moderately heavy shower reducing visibility to the south, with high intensity approach and runway lighting on. VH-CLS acknowledged. At 19:26:23 hours, VH-CLS reported 'going round,' and the controller instructed a missed approach on a heading of 035 degrees with a climb to 3,700 feet. Instead, the aircraft turned away from the airport, descended to a low height above terrain, completed about 270 degrees of a left-hand orbit, then entered a right turn during which it descended and crashed.
Probable Cause
The cause of the accident was that, following misalignment of the aircraft with the runway and abandonment of the landing approach, the pilot in command did not immediately initiate a climb to a safe altitude. Why such action was not taken has not been determined.