DHC2, manoeuvring, Jerusalem Bay north of Sydney Australia, 2017

DHC2, manoeuvring, Jerusalem Bay north of Sydney Australia, 2017

Summary

On 31 December 2017, a de Havilland DHC2 floatplane being manoeuvred at low level over Jerusalem Bay shortly after takeoff was observed to enter a steeply banked turn from which it appeared to depart controlled flight and impact the water surface below almost vertically. The Investigation concluded that the aircraft had stalled despite the exemplary proficiency record of the pilot and that in the absence of any other plausible explanation found that the loss of control was likely to have been the effect of an elevated exposure to carbon monoxide found during post mortem toxicology testing.

Description

On 31 December 2017, a de Havilland DHC2 floatplane (VH-NOO) being operated by Sydney Seaplanes on a private charter flight from Cottage Point to Rose Bay was observed to depart controlled flight in day VMC and impact the water below whilst making a steep low level turn shortly after taking off from Cottage Point. The aircraft was destroyed and the six occupants were fatally injured.

Investigation

An Investigation into the Accident was carried out by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB). In the absence of any recorded data for which devices were not required to be fitted to aircraft under 5,700 kg, the investigation was obliged to rely on witness statements and CCTV, video and photographic evidence. The latter included 22 pictures which “were consistent with having been taken from the front right passenger seat” and covered the taxi, takeoff and initial climb "through either the front windscreen or the front right passenger window”.

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