What happened
On the morning of 17 July 2008, a Piper Navajo PA-31, operating under registration VH-IHR, was performing a flight from Century Mine to Mt Isa in Queensland. During the transit, the aircraft experienced a mechanical failure in which the left engine ceased producing power. Following this initial failure, the pilot issued a PAN urgency message to air traffic control.
Shortly after the first engine failed, the right engine also lost power, leaving the aircraft without propulsion. The pilot subsequently issued a MAYDAY distress signal, notifying controllers of the intent to execute an off-field emergency landing. The aircraft eventually struck the ground in a sparsely wooded area located approximately 22 km north of Mt Isa, near the Barkly Highway. The pilot, who was the only person on board, survived the impact but suffered serious injuries.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a total loss of engine power following the sequential failure of both the left and right engines.