ATSB Released Final Report into Runway Excursion Involving Island Air Gippsland Aeronautics GA-8 Airvan VH-AZH on Avoid Island South of Mackay

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has released its final report into a runway excursion incident involving Island Air (Reef Airways) Gippsland Aeronautics GA-8 VH-AZH on Avoid Island, South-East of Mackay on Thursday 23 March.

VH-AZH taxis out at Mackay Airport in happier times  (File photo)

The 'remains' of VH-AZH near the Chrisair hangar at Mackay Airport in May  (File photo)

The ATSB reports that "The pilot of VH-AZH, prepared for a departure from Avoid Island aeroplane landing area (ALA), for a passenger charter flight to Mackay.  The pilot observed a 5-10 kt wind from the south-east and elected to use runway 14 for take-off.  Runway 14 was a grass runway, 800 m long and included a slight rise in the middle. At the end of the runway was a vertical drop of about 2 meters down to a rocky beach.

At about 1555 Eastern Standard Time, the pilot commenced the take-off. As the aircraft approached the end of the runway, just prior to reaching the rotation speed, the pilot felt a significant deceleration. The pilot identified that insufficient runway remained to stop the aircraft, and elected to continue the take-off.

The aircraft did not take-off before overrunning the runway and became airborne as it passed over the vertical drop at a speed of about 50 kt. The aircraft was unable to maintain height and descended until the landing gear and underside of the rear fuselage impacted rocks."

You can read more at the ATSB website:  https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2017/aair/ao-2017-035/