[durt]

In a tragic incident that unfolded north of Sydney, a seaplane crashed, claiming the lives of Canadian pilot Gareth Morgan and his five British passengers. What makes this accident particularly notable is the revelation that the same aircraft had been involved in a fatal crash over two decades ago, according to investigators.

The ill-fated de Havilland Beaver, a vintage aircraft manufactured in 1963 and operated by tourism company Sydney Seaplanes, crashed into the Hawkesbury River on a fateful day when the group had been returning from a New Year's Eve lunch.

Remarkably, this seaplane had a dark history, having previously served as a crop duster. In 1996, it was involved in another fatal incident when it clipped a hillside with one of its wings and subsequently cartwheeled, resulting in the death of the pilot.

Tragically, Sunday's crash claimed the lives of several individuals, including Compass Group chief executive Richard Cousins, his fiancée Emma Bowden and her 11-year-old daughter Heather Bowden-Page, as well as his two sons, William and Edward. The experienced pilot, Gareth Morgan, aged 44, also perished in the tragic accident.

Gareth Morgan, originally from North Vancouver, was widely recognized as an exceptionally skilled and highly respected pilot in the aviation community.

Nat Nagy, the executive director of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, revealed that the accident investigation team would thoroughly examine the circumstances of the 1996 crash. He emphasized the importance of assessing both the history of the individual aircraft and the history of its specific aircraft type during any investigative process.

The investigation bureau did not immediately respond to requests for the report on the 1996 tragedy.

Peter Gibson, spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Safety Authority in Australia, described a single aircraft being involved in two fatal crashes as "unusual," though he couldn't confirm if it was unprecedented. He questioned the bureau's characterization of the plane as "destroyed" in the 1996 crash, asserting that it had been deemed repairable by an engineer and subsequently rebuilt to manufacturer specifications, receiving clearance to fly again within months.

Gibson further affirmed that all necessary protocols and paperwork had been meticulously followed during the reconstruction process, with no indications of any irregularities. He also mentioned that Sydney Seaplanes had been proactive in replacing aircraft engines after every 1,100 flying hours, exceeding industry standards by 100 hours. In the case of the plane that crashed on Sunday, its engine had only accumulated around 200 hours of flight time.

Geoff Dell, a discipline leader of accident investigation at Central Queensland University and a former Australian airline safety manager, commented that planes could indeed return to safe operation following a crash if the restoration process was executed correctly. However, he also highlighted the inherent challenge of ensuring that no crucial details were overlooked during the repairs.

Some aviation experts suspect that the crash may have been caused by engine failure and/or the aircraft stalling. Interestingly, the Transport Safety Board of Canada recommended the compulsory installation of stall warning systems for Beaver planes following a 2015 sightseeing flight tragedy over Quebec that claimed six lives. Notably, the Australian seaplane involved in the recent crash did not have such a stall warning device.

Efforts to uncover the cause of the accident continue, with the wreckage of the seaplane lifted from the riverbed for further examination, potentially shedding light on the tragic incident.

[kellyhound]

Current crash has nothing to do with the older crash 20 years ago imo as many flights have be flown safely inbetween.

[durt]

Originally Posted by kellyhound ↗

Current crash has nothing to do with the older crash 20 years ago imo as many flights have be flown safely inbetween.

Ya, I agree, just some 'durt' for the media to throw around

[spudigitti]

I would in my bollox get in a little plane like that, fukk that shit my nephew is an airline pilot and he says they are like old cars, anything can go wrong !!

Stand by !!

[durt]

Originally Posted by spudigitti ↗

I would in my bollox get in a little plane like that, fukk that shit my nephew is an airline pilot and he says they are like old cars, anything can go wrong !!

Stand by !!

DHC-2, my favorite plane

[Ninjavandal]

That's too bad because that was a beautiful plane.

[Bletch]

Originally Posted by Ninjavandal ↗

That's too bad because that was a beautiful plane.

That’s a rather strange remark. A whole family died along with the pilot.