The ATSB announced today that it won't continue an investigation into the fatal crash of a Cherokee 180 earlier this year because the pilot of the aircraft did not have a licence.
VH-PXR was on a private flight from Natal Downs to Lakeside Airpark near Proserpine, QLD, in April, when it failed to arrive as scheduled. Wreckage located later showed the aircraft had collided with terrain in the Clarke Range 1913 feet AMSL. Both the pilot and the passenger died in the crash.
Weather in the area at the time of the crash was low cloud, rain and thunderstorms. An ADS-B track indicated the aircraft was flying only 250 feet AGL in the moments before it collided with the ground.
The ATSB investigation found that the pilot, the owner of the aircraft, had completed 30.4 hours of flying training, but had not qualified for a licence either RPL, PPL or an RAAus RPC.
"Licensing regulations administered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority are designed to ensure pilots are properly trained and qualified to manage challenges likely to be encountered during flying operations,” ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said.
“This includes training intended to teach pilots to identify and manage situations presented by adverse weather, both at the pre-flight planning phase and during flight.
“When pilots operate outside the licensing regulations, they remove built-in safety defences."
According to the ATSB, the investigation was discontinued because they determined "there was limited safety benefit in continuing to direct resources at this investigation when compared with other priorities."
Although the investigation has stopped, the ATSB still believes there are lessons to be learned from the incident.
"This accident highlights the importance of following the standards for the operation and maintenance of aircraft to ensure the safety of flight, and further demonstrates that weather continues to remain one of the most significant causes of accidents in general aviation,” Mitchell said.
“The ATSB encourages all pilots, regardless of qualification or experience level, to develop the knowledge and skills required to avoid unintentional operations into adverse weather.”
The discontinuation notice and ATSB investigations are on the ATSB website.