A heart-wrenching tragedy unfolded as a light plane, carrying a grandfather and his three grandchildren, plummeted to the ground and erupted in flames moments after takeoff near Lake George, Australia, near Canberra.
Peter Nally, aged 65 and an experienced pilot, along with his 11-year-old grandson Raphael and two granddaughters, Evita (nine years old) and Philomena (six years old), lost their lives as the five-seater Cirrus SR22, bearing the registration VH-MSF, tragically crashed after descending rapidly from an altitude of 9,000 feet on the fateful afternoon of October 6.
In response to this devastating incident, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) promptly initiated an investigation. Teams have already begun examining the crash site located in a paddock at Gundaroo, north of Queanbeyan, to unravel the circumstances leading to this catastrophic event.
Colin McNamara from the ATSB acknowledged the formidable task ahead, given the extensive damage to the wreckage. Nevertheless, he expressed confidence that investigators would meticulously gather information and evidence from the accident site in the days to come.
“This will be a difficult undertaking given how burnt the wreckage is,” noted McNamara. “But over the coming days, I am fully confident that the investigators will gather as much information and evidence as they can from the accident site.”
ATSB crews are also closely monitoring the site for any signs of spilled chemicals, burnt carbon fiber, or potential explosive materials.
Investigators are directing their focus towards understanding why a special parachute, a standard safety feature on the aircraft, seemingly did not deploy during the incident.
The ill-fated flight had originated from Canberra, embarking on a 750-kilometer journey bound for Armidale in northern New South Wales.
Mr. Nally, hailing from Bunya in Brisbane, possessed a wealth of flying experience, having logged hundreds of hours in the air. His grandchildren were reportedly residents of New South Wales.
The aircraft was registered under Up N Up Aviation, owned by Mike Cahill, who also serves as the president of the Redcliffe Aero Club in Brisbane. The details concerning the pilot in control of the 21-year-old plane at the time of the crash remain unclear.
The tragic event transpired mere minutes after takeoff as the plane ascended to an altitude of 9,000 feet before rapidly losing altitude and crashing into the ground, where it burst into flames.
In response to this devastating loss, the Redcliffe Aero Club extended their deepest condolences to the affected family.
“The Redcliffe Aero Club expresses its deepest condolences to the family of the pilot and passengers who were tragically killed on Friday the 6th October 2023,” the organisation said.
“The pilot was active in the social side of the Club with many hours of flying experience.”
Regrettably, the plane disappeared from radar screens just 16 minutes after departure on that fateful Friday.
“When police arrived with RFS services there was a small grass fire and obviously a catastrophic crash of a small light aircraft,” Police Superintendent Cath Bradbury said.
“The RFS extinguished the plane – unfortunately there are no survivors. They are yet to be formally identified. A report will be prepared for the coroner.”
ATSB engineers will diligently examine the plane’s maintenance log and delve into the pilot’s flight history as part of their comprehensive investigation.
The ATSB is anticipated to release a preliminary report on the incident within a span of two months.
| LIB
