What happened
On the evening of 17 September 1993, a group of football club members were traveling from Moorabim Airport to Launceston using three hired aircraft. The flight involving VH-WGI, a Piper PA-31-350, departed Moorabbin at 1817. During the flight, the pilot failed to make a required position report at Wonthaggi, leading Melbourne controllers to attempt contact after noticing a track deviation. Communication was eventually restored when the pilot reported a radio issue.
As the aircraft approached Launceston, weather conditions were deteriorating. The Aerodrome Controller (ADC) informed the pilot of increasing cloud cover and advised that if the airfield was not visible by the VOR, a missed approach via the Nile locator would be necessary. While the pilot initially reported being in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) at a low altitude, he later reported having the airfield in sight and requested a visual approach for runway 32.
Witnesses observed the aircraft flying at high speed through intermittent cloud, tracking toward the southeast end of the aerodrome. The aircraft was seen descending while on a downwind leg. During a left base leg, the aircraft entered a steep bank of approximately 60 degrees at an altitude of roughly 200 feet. The Piper PA-31-350 then descended rapidly, striking a powerline with its right wing and hitting bushes with the left wing. The impact caused a local power failure. The aircraft subsequently struck the ground and caught fire. The accident resulted in 6 fatalities and several serious injuries to the occupants.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating at a high power setting during the approach.
- The pilot executed a steep bank during a low-altitude maneuver in deteriorating visibility.