Flight Details
At 0445 Eastern Standard Time on 24 February 2011, a freight charter flight operated by an Aero Commander 500S, registered VH-WZU, departed Cairns, Queensland, for Horn Island under instrument flight rules. The pilot arrived in the Horn Island area at approximately 0720 and informed air traffic control of an intention to hold east of the island due to low cloud and rain. Around 0750, the pilot advised pilots in the area that he was north of Horn Island and planned to commence a visual approach.
Search and Wreckage Discovery
The aircraft did not arrive at its destination, prompting a search. The pilot and aircraft were not initially found. On about 10 October 2011, the wreckage was located on the seabed approximately 26 km north-north-west of Horn Island.
Investigation Findings
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) determined that the aircraft had not broken up in flight and impacted the water at a relatively low speed with a near wings-level attitude, consistent with being under control at the time of impact. It is likely that the pilot encountered rain and reduced visibility when manoeuvring to commence a visual approach. However, there was insufficient evidence to determine why the aircraft impacted the water.
Several aspects of the flight increased risk. The pilot had less than 4 hours of sleep during the night before the flight. The operator did not have procedures or guidance to minimize fatigue risk associated with early starts. Additionally, the pilot—who also served as the operator’s chief pilot—had either not met the recency requirements or did not hold an endorsement to conduct the types of instrument approaches available at Horn Island and other locations frequently used by the operator.