Accident Overview
On an unspecified date, a twin-engine aircraft operated by Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd, trading as Ansett General Aviation, departed Adelaide-Parafield Airport on a charter flight to Moomba. The aircraft carried seven passengers and one additional passenger on behalf of Santos Ltd, for a total of eight occupants.
Sequence of Events
During initial climb, while flying in clouds at an altitude of 700 feet on a heading of 270°, the aircraft went out of control. It entered a left turn and subsequently struck the ground at high speed in a shallow dive, approximately 13 miles northeast of Adelaide Airport. The impact caused the aircraft to disintegrate, and the accident was not survivable. All eight occupants were killed.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined that control of the aircraft was lost and recovery was not effected before it struck the ground. The reason for the loss of control and the inability to take effective recovery action has not been determined. Although the aircraft was operating in cloud from a height of about 700 feet after takeoff until it emerged at a height of 300 to 500 feet above the terrain shortly before impact, there was no evidence of any meteorological condition that may have contributed directly to the accident.