2020 EC-130Q large air tanker, January
Aircraft crashed while spraying retardant on fires in southern NSW, killing the three pilots on board. Report: https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/news-items/2020/air-tanker-accident-update/
Accidents
2017 Beech King Air Essendon Airport, February
A B200 King Air charter passenger flight from Essendon Airport, Victoria to King Island, Tasmania with four passengers on board, collided with a building in Essendon Airport’s retail precinct while attempting to return after transmitting a Mayday call. The pilot and passengers were fatally injured, and the aircraft destroyed by the impact and post-impact fire.
2009 Pel-Air
Westwind aircraft accident November 2009, near Norfolk Island, Australia. A Westwind II jet operated by Pel-Air was conducting an air ambulance flight for CareFlight International when it was forced to ditch after being unable to land in bad weather and did not have sufficient fuel to divert to an alternate destination. Report https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2009/aair/ao-2009-072/ Article: https://australianaviation.com.au/2018/04/pel-air-revisited/
2005 Lockhart River
Fifteen people, including two crew, died in 2005 when a twin-engined Metroliner aircraft crashed into a hillside on approach to the Lockhart River Airport in Far North Queensland. Report: https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2020/aair/ao-2020-017/
1994 Seaview, October
An Aero Commander 690 was flying as a regular public transport flight from Williamtown to Lord Howe Island, but failed to arrive. An extensive air and sea search failed to locate the aircraft or its nine occupants (eight passengers and the pilot). Only a small number of pieces of the aircraft were found floating on
1993 Monarch, June
A Piper PA31-350 Navajo Chieftain was being operated as Monarch Airlines flight OB301 on a regular public transport service from Sydney to Young. It was on landing approach to runway 01 in conditions of low cloud and darkness, when it struck trees at Young aerodrome, New South Wales, and crashed. All seven occupants, including the
1960 TAA Flight 538
June 1960. A Fokker Friendship passenger aircraft operated by Trans Australia Airlines (TAA) was on approach at night to land at Mackay, Queensland, Australia when it crashed into the sea. All 29 people on board TAA Flight 538 were killed.
1950 National Airways Douglas DC-4
The ‘Amana’, June 1950. The aircraft crashed in bushland near York, Western Australia, burning on impact, with 28 people dying instantly (there was one survivor who later died from his injuries). Macarthur Job covered the accident in the September-October issue of ‘Flight Safety Australia’ magazine.