Date:	Friday 26 April 1991
Time:
Type:	Lockheed P-3C Orion
Owner/operator:	Royal Australian Air Force - RAAF
Registration:	A9-754
MSN:	185-5662
Year of manufacture:	1978
Engine model:	Allison T56-A14
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants:
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	ca 2km N off Cocos Islands Airport (CCK) -   Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Cocos Islands Airport (CCK/YPCC)
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Took off from Cocos Island and commenced a right hand climbing turn to a height of 5,000 ft above mean sea level (AMSL). The aircraft was then placed into a shallow dive and positioned for a low level pass across the airfield. As the aircraft crossed the runway at 380 knots indicated airspeed and 300 ft AMSL, the pilot began a straight pull-out from the dive with all engines at full power. At this point, eyewitnesses saw a number of items separate from the aircraft. These items were later identified as wing leading edge components. A shallow climb was then achieved with the aircraft vibrating violently. The pilot attempted to complete a circuit preparatory to landing but height could not be maintained and the aircraft was ditched into the shallow water of the lagoon.

P-3 Orion Aircraft Location Report (P-3 Orion Research Group - The Netherlands)
US Navy and US Marine Corps Aircraft Serial Numbers and Bureau Numbers--1911 to Present / Joe Baugher
Further structural investigations into the collapse of the wing leading edges of Orion A9-754 / DSTO report DSTO-TR-0008

photo (c) Tim Creevey; near Cocos Islands Airport (CCK); 26 April 1991

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