The fire, likely sparked by a fault in the landing gear electrical system that ignited fuel from the cabin heater supply line, filled the cabin with smoke that caused the pilot to lose control and collide with the ground.
The cause of the crash of the Coulson Aviation-operated 737 air tanker, which occurred during firefighting activities on 6 February, has not yet been identified in the ATSB’s preliminary report. The 737, callsign “Bomber 139”, was making a second drop after releasing three quarters of its retardant tank on the first go-around.
Richard Gardner, 53, died while conducting an aerobatic flight in August 2021, with the remnants of his aircraft eventually scattered over a 2.4km area.
The Courier-Mail has reported that 22-year-old Rhiley Kuhrt, who was en route with 24-year-old wife Maree to a medical appointment when their Piper Cherokee (similar aircraft pictured) went down in a storm west of Proserpine, Queensland, had completed 30 hours of recreational pilot licence (RPL) training at a local aero club but left before completing the course.
The E22 Spark aircraft, built by Adelaide-based Bader Aero, is a two-seater with 180m takeoff, a max range of 300+ kilometres, up to 90-minute flight time, and a cruising speed of 110-130 knots.
Despite “almost certainly” wearing a helmet and four-point restraints, the pilot of the plane, registered VH-ACQ, lost their life when the AT-400’s fuel tanks ruptured during the accident near Moree, NSW, causing a fatal fire.