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| Date: | Saturday 9 April 1955 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  Auster J/1 Autocrat |
| Owner/operator: | Newcastle Aero Club |
| Registration: | VH-KSF |
| MSN: | 2099 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Marist Brothers Agricultural College, 2.5 miles south of Forbes, NSW -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi |
| Departure airport: | Forbres Airfield, Forbes, NSW (FRB/YFBS) |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Auster J/1 Autocrat, VH-KSF, Newcastle Aero Club: Crashed in the ground of the Marist Brothers Agricultural College, 1482 College Road, Forbes, NSW (2.5 miles south of Forbes) on 9.4.55. All five on board - Pilot and four passengers - killed. The event was reported in detail in the DCA Aviation Safety Digest (Issue - 08 December 1956 pp.28-29):
Fatal Auster Accident
THE weather was fine with little cloud when a pilot and four passengers took off in an Auster from Forbes aerodrome. Approximately 35 minutes later the aircraft stalled and crashed into the grounds of the Marist Brothers Agricultural College, 2.5 miles south of Forbes, New South Wales. All the occupants were killed on impact.
Statements from eyewitnesses revealed that the aircraft was observed at a height just above tree tops flying straight and level towards the college. As it neared the college, the pilot commenced a climbing turn to the left. However, whilst still at a low altitude, the nose of the aircraft dropped, the aircraft entered a spin and crashed in the college grounds 600 feet east of the main building.
The flight was conducted so that a passenger could take photographs. In addition, three boys were given a free "joy flight"; as two of them were seated on the floor adjacent to the rear seat, they could not be provided with seat belts. The aircraft was a standard Auster J/5 "Autocrat" fitted with seats for a pilot and two passengers; the certificate of airworthiness restricted the number of persons to be carried to three. The pilot was the holder of a commercial pilot licence and a current "B1" flight instructor rating. An examination of the wreckage revealed no pre-crash defects or evidence of malfunctioning.
It was ascertained that the aircraft approached the college at a height of between 150 and 250 feet. A climbing turn was commenced at a relatively slow airspeed and although power was possibly increased, the pilot made too steep a climbing turn for the airspeed available. The aircraft stalled and entered a spin at an altitude too low for recovery to be affected.
The all-up-weight was approximately 50lb. below the maximum permitted and the centre-of-gravity was at or near the aft limit.
It was concluded that:
(a) The probable cause of the accident was loss of control at a low altitude due to poor technique in the execution of a steep climbing turn.
(b) The pilot engaged in unauthorised flight at a height lower than 500 feet above the ground in disregard of Air Navigation Regulation 133 (2)".
Sources:
1. Aviation Safety Digest - Issue 08 - December 1956: https://www.atsb.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/5774705/asd_08_dec_56.pdf
2. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/75437497
3. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/91196389
4. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/71875481
5. https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/24550:vh-ksf-1
6. http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austcl/VH-KSF.html
7. http://austerhg.org/prod_list/pages.php?page=1989
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Bend_Catholic_College
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-May-2008 11:10 | ASN archive | Added |
| 24-Mar-2014 03:07 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, ] |
| 07-Jan-2018 15:40 | TB | Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 01-Apr-2021 19:20 | TB | Updated [Source, ] |
| 28-May-2025 12:18 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, ] |
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