THE plane crash that killed an experienced waterbombing pilot on the NSW south coast happened when the left wing broke off due to fatigue cracking in a wing lug, a preliminary investigation has found.
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David Black, the 43-year-old father-of-three from Trangie was waterbombing a bushfire in rugged terrain when his fixed-wing plane crashed on October 24.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) yesterday released its preliminary report on the crash involving the PZL-Mielec M18A aircraft near Ulladulla
According to the report, the PZL-Mielec M18A Dromader, registered VH-TZJ, was approaching the target point when its left wing separated.
The aircraft immediately rolled left and descended, crashing into the ground in the Charleys Forest area of Wirritin National Park.
For several days the accident site was inaccessible due to rugged terrain, high winds, low cloud, and nearby bushfires.
On October 30, due to the efforts of the Rural Fire Service, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, and the NSW Police, a team of five ATSB investigators, including a materials specialist, examined the aircraft wreckage on site.
Preliminary investigations indicate the left outboard wing lower attachment lug had fractured through an area of pre-existing fatigue cracking in the lug lower ligament.
The investigation is continuing however a final report is not expected until October next year.
The Aerial Agricultural Association of Australia's chief executive office, Phil Hurst said his organisation was working closely to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority with the framing of a new airworthiness directive after Mr Black's crash.
Mr Hurst said the safety inspection system set in place to identify this kind of structural fault on the Dromader "obviously didn't work".
"CASA reissued an airworthiness directive changing the requirements of the inspection," he said.
"It's something the industry is working on closely with CASA."
It is the fourth fatal accident in Australia involving an M18 Dromader aircraft since 2006.
Of those four, it is the second to have crashed while fighting bushfires.
The M18 Dromader involved in the Ulladulla crash was operated by Rebel Ag at Trangie, and had been contracted to the Rural Fire Service for firefighting efforts.
Dromader planes are commonly used for crop-dusting but are often pressed into fighting bushfires during summer.
