A preliminary report into a plane crash that killed Barambah Organics founder Ian Campbell and his daughter Hannah has set out evidence suggesting the aircraft's engine may have failed, including several unsuccessful attempts to start it before take-off and witness accounts of spluttering before impact.
The Beechcraft A36 Bonanza took off from Archerfield Airport just before 11am on September 7 and came down minutes later on a property on Musch Road in the Logan suburb of Stockleigh, where it burst into flames. Campbell and his daughter were the only occupants and had been planning to fly to St George, about 400 kilometres west of Brisbane.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau's preliminary report, released on Tuesday, did not include official findings. It did contain evidence suggesting the engine might have failed: several attempts were made to start it that morning at the airport before an engineer came over from a nearby hangar to assist with a battery cart.
Witnesses told investigators they saw a plane flying low and spluttering. One said it turned and "nosedived" before disappearing behind trees. The propeller was found to have suffered low rotational damage in the crash, which the report said was indicative of low engine power on impact.
A witness who spoke to the pilot before the flight said the pilot was in a good mood and seemed “fit and well”.
The aircraft was not required to carry a flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder. It was fitted with instruments capable of recording flight and engine parameters, but those were destroyed in the crash.
Emergency teams came across a 15-metre wreckage site where the aircraft was relatively intact. It came to rest opposite the direction of flight.
Campbell and his daughter had recently completed the Kokoda Track to raise funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. The investigation is continuing.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The report is the first official account of what preceded the crash, and it points investigators toward the engine as a focus of the continuing inquiry.
- It raises practical questions for pilots of light aircraft about engine starting difficulties and the recording equipment such aircraft are not required to carry.
- A final report from the ATSB, which may include safety recommendations, is the next formal step.
Background
Barambah Organics is a Queensland organic dairy business, and Ian Campbell was its founder. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is the national agency that investigates transport accidents and publishes preliminary reports early in an investigation. Such reports typically set out the evidence gathered so far rather than conclusions about cause.
What to Watch
- The ATSB's final report, which will set out findings on the likely cause of the crash.
- Whether the investigation identifies any safety issue that warrants a recommendation to the aviation sector.
- Any further examination of the engine and the aircraft's damaged instruments.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe Beechcraft’s engine failed to start multiple times before the fatal crash.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “A plane’s engine failed to start multiple times less than an hour before it crashed just outside Brisbane, killing its occupants”
- SupportedThe ATSB report contained evidence suggesting the aircraft’s engine might have failed before the crash.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “A preliminary report on the crash released by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau on Tuesday did not include official findings, but contained evidence suggesting the aircraft’s engine might have failed.”
- SupportedThe crash killed Barambah Organics founder Ian Campbell and his daughter Hannah, the aircraft’s only occupants.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Barambah Organics founder Ian Campbell and his daughter Hannah were the only occupants.”
- SupportedSeveral attempts were made to start the engine at the airport that morning before an engineer arrived with a battery cart.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Several attempts were made to start the engine that morning at the airport, before an engineer came over from a nearby hangar to assist with a battery cart.”
- SupportedWitnesses told investigators they saw a plane flying low and spluttering.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Witnesses told investigators they saw a plane flying low and spluttering, with one saying it turned and “nosedived” before disappearing behind trees.”
- SupportedA witness said the plane turned and “nosedived” before disappearing behind trees.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “with one saying it turned and “nosedived” before disappearing behind trees.”
- SupportedThe propeller had low rotational damage, which the report said indicated low engine power on impact.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “The propeller was found to have suffered low rotational damage in the crash. The report said this was indicative of low engine power on impact.”
- SupportedA witness who spoke to the pilot before the flight said the pilot was in a good mood and seemed “fit and well”.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “A witness who spoke to the pilot before the flight said they were in a good mood and seemed “fit and well”.”
- SupportedThe Beechcraft took off from Archerfield Airport just before 11am on September 7 and crashed minutes later on Musch Road in Stockleigh, where it burst into flames.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “The Beechcraft A36 Bonanza took off from Archerfield Airport just before 11am on September 7, but came down and erupted in flames on a property on Musch Road in the Logan suburb of Stockleigh minutes later.”
- SupportedCampbell and his daughter had planned to fly to St George, about 400 kilometres west of Brisbane.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “They had been planning to fly to St George, about 400 kilometres west of Brisbane.”
- SupportedThe aircraft was not required to carry a flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “The aircraft was not required to have a flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder.”
- SupportedThe aircraft’s instruments capable of recording flight and engine parameters were destroyed in the crash.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “It was fitted with instruments capable of recording flight and engine parameters, but these were destroyed in the crash.”