Category: General Aviation

The Cirrus SR22, VH-MSF, had four people on board when it stalled shortly after take-off from Canberra on 6 October 2023 before entering a spin and hitting the ground near Gundaroo, where its remains were consumed by fire. All occupants, including the pilot and three passengers, were killed.

The single-engine Cessna 150M, VH-WWU, was flying from Geraldton to Shark Bay in Western Australia on 21 March when it entered a spiral dive and hit the ground near Ogilvie. The pilot, who died in the accident, had been “acutely unwell” and was likely still symptomatic, the ATSB said.

Team ZIC, who placed fifth in 2018 and second in 2022, recorded multiple near-perfect legs, finishing in the top two on six of the nine segments. Racers Scott Palmer and Adam Dean defeated 36 other teams in the precision time-trial, where scoring depended on timing and positional accuracy.

According to official figures cited by the researchers, light aircraft account for over 90 per cent of aviation-related fatalities. More than half the studies reviewed found human factors, including pilot error, poor decision-making, and reduced situational awareness.