Casair (Complete Aviation Services) (WA) Swearingen Metro II VH-OGX Spotted at Rockhampton Airport After Completing Marathon Cross-Australia Flight!

Also on Saturday 19 March, Casair (Complete Aviation Services) (of Western Australia) Swearingen Metro II VH-OGX was spotted resting at Rockhampton Airport after it had made a midnight arrival all the way over from Perth (Jandakot).

On Friday 18 March, VH-OGX had departed Jandakot in Perth and called into Collie, Jurien Bay, Geraldton and Karratha Airports before then flying across to Alice Springs and Emerald Airports for refueling before then touching down at Rockhampton Airport just after midnight on Saturday.

It is assumed the flight was a freight charter as during the early part of the afternoon on Saturday 19 March, VH-OGX departed Rockhampton Airport for Alice Springs and then Jandakot.

A marathon trip for such a quick visit!

Meanwhile, also spotted at Rockhampton Airport, also on Saturday 19 March, was Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) Cessna 172 VH-MAO.  It arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Mareeba and Townsville the previous day and then departed later on Saturday for the Sunshine Coast and Archerfield.

Finally, a couple of bizjets noted around the region, also on Saturday 19 March, included Bowenville (near Toowoomba) based Cessna 525 CitationJet CJ1+ bizjet VH-JSZ which flew up from Archerfield to Natal Downs and then across to Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport.  VH-JSZ then returned to Natal Downs and is due to return down to Archerfield on Sunday 20 March.

And Navair Flight Operations Embraer EMB-500 Phenom 100 bizjet VH-LXZ flew up from Bankstown and Maitland to land at Hamilton Island Airport.

UPDATE!  On Thursday 24 March, VH-LXZ finally departed Hamilton Island Airport for the Gold Coast.

Sincere thanks to local plane spotter Trevor H for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos from Rockhampton Airport!

All photos taken by Trevor Hardsman  ©

Investigation Complete into Casair Metro II VH-OGX Runway Excursion at Archerfield After Flight from Biloela / Thangool Airport

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has completed its investigation into the occurrence involving a Fairchild SA226 Metro II, VH-OGX, at Archerfield Airport, Queensland, on Thursday 23 January 2014.

The Metro - operated by Casair (Complete Aviation Services) - had earlier departed Biloela / Thangool Airport on a charter flight to Archerfield.

The ATSB report indicates that the pilot received the current Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) for Archerfield, which indicated cloud at 800ft and that the runway was ‘wet’.

It reports that "The pilot commenced an instrument approach to Archerfield. Approaching the western boundary of the aerodrome, the pilot sighted the runway and circled at 900ft above ground level before approaching to land on runway 10 Left. When lined up on final, the aircraft was to the right of the extended runway centreline and the pilot elected to conduct a go-around."

"The second circle was still tight, due to low cloud to the west of the runway, and the pilot reported that the aircraft was about 30 to 50m right of the extended runway centreline when on final. It was raining heavily as the aircraft touched down close to the runway centreline and about 300m beyond the runway threshold. The pilot reported that as the wheels touched down, the aircraft commenced sliding towards the right, possibly due to aquaplaning. The aircraft veered off the right side of the runway and onto the grass. The aircraft then slid along the runway and veered off to the left side. The left main landing gear entered the grass and the aircraft came to rest at an angle to the runway."

"A runway inspection revealed standing water on the right side of the runway near the threshold."

The photos below are from the ATSB report and were supplied to the ATSB by the operator.

In concluding, the ATSB recommends that the incident highlights the importance of conducting a go-around as soon as landing conditions appear unfavourable.

More Plane Spotting Photos from Gladstone Airport This Week

What a week at Gladstone Airport!

Local plane spotters Jamie C and Tash C have been on hand all week and captured some stunning photos of the great aircraft to visit Gladstone Airport this week!

The action began on Tuesday 21 January when Casair (Complete Aviation Services) Swearingen Metro II VH-OGX visited from Archerfield.  It later departed to Baralaba.

VH-OGX also had a landing incident in the heavy rain at Archerfield during this week.

Also calling into Gladstone on Tuesday 21 January was Australian Helicopters Bell 412EP VH-VAU which was heading North.

On Wednesday 22 January Our Airline / Air Nauru Boeing B737-300 VH-INU popped into Gladstone for the second time in a week on what was believed to be a fly-in fly-out (FIFO) charter from and back to Brisbane.

Then on Friday 24 January, Gladstone played host to two great bizjets, along with three more interesting helicopter visitors.

Conoco Phillips-operated Gulfstream G550 (GV-SP) N662CP called in for the morning from Brisbane.

And Mackay-based Raytheon 390 Premier 1 N7088S called in later in the day from Mackay - and stayed!

Also visiting was CareFlight Bell 206L-1 VH-ZOW.

And McDermott Aviation Bell 206L-1 VH-YBO which was involved in local fire ant eradication.

Meanwhile, Australian Helicopters Agusta AB412 (Bell 412) VH-LSV also called in heading South.

But there were also a number of commercial and light General Aviation (GA) aircraft that Jamie and Tash captured during the week.

QantasLink (Cobham Aviation) Boeing B717-200 VH-NXG continues to fly into Central Queensland, the aircraft spotted on Friday 24 January touching down and then later from within the Gladstone Airport terminal.

QantasLink Dash-8-Q400s VH-QOS, VH-QOF and VH-LQF were also spotted on Friday by Jamie and Tash.

VH-LQF is a new 'next gen' Dash-8-Q400, and still wears additional titles highlighting the fact that QantasLink was the 'Regional Airline of the Year for 2012'. 

And finally, on the lighter side of the aircraft, Diamond DA-40 VH-RPA was spotted on Friday 24 January as it flew North to its Mackay home.

Again, my sincere thanks to Jamie and Tash for sending through their great photos of a truly great week of plane spotting action at Gladstone Airport!

Photos taken by Jamie C and Tash C  ©

Casair Metro II VH-OGX Runs Off Archerfield Runway After Flight from Biloela / Thangool Airport

Earlier this week, Casair (Complete Aviation Services) Swearingen Metro II VH-OGX was spotted calling into Gladstone Airport.  On Thursday 23 January, VH-OGX reportedly ran off the Runway after landing at Archerfield Airport in Brisbane.

VH-OGX had just completed a flight from Biloela / Thangool Airport.

The rather inclement weather that was passing through Brisbane on Thursday afternoon is most likely a contributing factor as VH-OGX landed on a saturated Runway 10 at Acherfield, and ground looped and skidded off into the grass.

UPDATE!  The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has commenced an investigation into the occurrence involving a Fairchild SA226 Metro II, VH-OGX, at Archerfield Airport, Queensland, on Thursday 23 January 2014.

The ATSB has stated that "The pilot reported that after landing the aircraft encountered standing water on the runway and aquaplaned. The pilot was unable to regain control and the aircraft veered off the runway and became bogged". The investigation is continuing.

Casair (Complete Aviation Services) Metro II VH-OGX - And More - at Gladstone Airport Tuesday

Making its début into Central Queensland at Gladstone Airport on Tuesday 21 January was Casair (Complete Aviation Services) Swearingen Metro II VH-OGX.

Local plane spotters Jamie C and Tash C were on hand to capture the Metro as it arrived into Gladstone from Archerfield.

Casair (Complete Aviation Services) was formed in 1992 and is based at Jandakot Airport near Perth. It conducts Fly-In Fly-Out (FIFO) operations for many resources companies, as well as general freight and charter flights.  In October 2012, VH-OGX flew into Archerfield from the West and has been based there operating flights to several towns in Southern Queensland associated with the growing resource sector.

VH-OGX spent a couple of hours on the ground at Gladstone, and eventually departed to Baralaba, West of Rockhampton.

Meanwhile, another great visitor popped into Gladstone Airport on Tuesday 21 January with Australian Helicopters Bell 412EP VH-VAU passing through again, this time heading North.

VH-VAU landed at Gladstone from Redcliffe and later departed to Mackay.  It eventually flew on to Townsville and Cairns.

Meanwhile, some of the commercial visitors to Gladstone Airport during the morning of Tuesday 21 January included Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (VARA) ATR 72-500 VH-FVL.

Also QantasLink (Cobham Aviation) Boeing B717-200 VH-NXG was spotted making a spectacular departure off Runway 28 to Brisbane.

And finally, QantasLink Dash-8-Q300 VH-TQD was also spotted arriving at and later departing from Gladstone.

Yet more great photos of a spectacular morning of plane spotting at Gladstone Airport.  It's always exciting when a new operator calls into Central Queensland, and we sincerely thank Jamie and Tash for sending through their photos from this morning!

Photos taken by Jamie C and Tash C  ©