You can contribute by submitting additional or updated information.
| Date: | Sunday 23 April 2023 |
| Time: | 10:52 |
| Type: |  Saab 340A (F) |
| Owner/operator: | Pel-Air |
| Registration: | VH-KDK |
| MSN: | 340A-016 |
| Engine model: | GE CT7 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 114 km ENE of Cobar, NSW -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Cargo |
| Departure airport: | Wagga Wagga-Forrest Hill Airport, NSW (WGA/YSWG) |
| Cobar Airport, NSW (CAZ/YCBA) | |
| Investigating agency: | ATSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
Pel-Air flight RXA9982, a Saab 340A (F), sustained damage as a result of an inflight fire in the cargo hold.
During cruise, the crew received multiple warnings, including cargo smoke, avionics smoke and cabin pressure. The crew subsequently detected thick smoke in the cockpit, donned oxygen, conducted an emergency descent and diverted the aircraft to Cobar.
The post-flight inspection revealed fire damage in the vicinity of the right air cycle machine and cargo bay floor.
Contributing factors
• It was likely that an electrical component of a control circuit board on the recirculating fan failed, resulting in an in-flight fire under the cabin floor.
• The smoke curtain was not fitted as required for the cargo configuration, and the flight deck door was open, which allowed smoke from the in-flight fire to enter the flight deck.
• The underfloor fire caused weakening of the fuselage structure, which led to a subsequent depressurisation of the aircraft during the descent. However, the depressurisation aided in the removal of enough smoke from the flight deck on approach to allow an unhindered visual approach at Cobar.
• Crew were not familiar with the cargo configuration and were unaware of the smoke curtain requirements and location of the cross-valve handle.
• The Pel-Air and Rex Saab 340 flight crew operating manuals did not include reference to the location and operation of the cross-valve handle or the operation and use of the smoke curtain. (Safety issue)
• Rex did not ensure its flight crews received training in the differences between passenger and freight-configured Saab 340 aircraft, prior to being scheduled to fly freight operations. (Safety issue)
• Saab did not include the smoke curtain fitment in pre-flight documentation for the cargo-configured Saab 340 aircraft to inform flight crew of this difference from the passenger-configured version. (Safety issue)
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.flightglobal.com/safety/in-flight-fire-damages-pel-air-saab-340-freighter/152964.article
https://www.casa.gov.au/search-centre/aircraft-register?search_api_fulltext=KDK
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/VHKDK/history/20230422/2330Z/YSWG/YCBA
https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2023/report/ao-2023-020
https://photos-e1.flightcdn.com/photos/retriever/4e9a09f754930a725f065d19446eabd6f2f7bc61 (photo)
Location
Media:
Pel-Air Saab 340A freighter VH-KDK on 23 April 2023 suffered an electrical fire and diverted to Cobar, NSW (Image: NSW Fire and Rescue Service) #flightsafety #aviationsafety pic.twitter.com/WhwIlWGR9n
— Aerossurance (@Aerossurance) April 24, 2023
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Apr-2023 06:18 | gerard57 | Added |
| 01-May-2023 11:37 | harro | Updated |
| 28-Aug-2024 09:48 | ASN | Updated [Damage, ] |
| 28-Aug-2024 14:24 | ASN | Updated [Narrative, ] |
| 03-Jan-2025 08:06 | Chopperchops | Updated |
| 03-Jan-2025 08:16 | ASN | Updated [Time, Location, Category, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2025 Flight Safety Foundation