Date:	Wednesday 31 May 2000
Time:	19:05
Type:	Piper PA-31-350 Chieftain
Owner/operator:	Whyalla Airlines Pty Ltd
Registration:	VH-MZK
MSN:	31-8152180
Year of manufacture:	1981
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 8
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	Spencer Gulf, 28 km SE Whyalla, SA -   Australia
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Adelaide Airport, West Beach, South Australia (ADL/YPAD)
Destination airport:	Whyalla Airport , Whyalla, South Australia(IWYA/YWHA)
Confidence Rating:	Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities

Narrative:
On the evening of 31 May 2000, Piper Chieftain, VH-MZK, was being operated by Whyalla Airlines as Flight WW904 on a regular public transport service from Adelaide to Whyalla, South Australia. One pilot and seven passengers were on board. The aircraft departed at 18:23 central Standard Time (CST) and, after being radar vectored a short distance to the west of Adelaide for traffic separation purposes, the pilot was cleared to track direct to Whyalla at 6,000 feet. A significant proportion of the track from Adelaide to Whyalla passed over the waters of Gulf St Vincent and Spencer Gulf. The entire flight was conducted in darkness.

The aircraft reached 6,000 feet and proceeded apparently normally at that altitude on the direct track to Whyalla. At 18:56 CST, the pilot reported to Adelaide Flight Information Service (FIS) that the aircraft was 35 nautical miles south-south-east of Whyalla, commencing descent from 6,000 feet. Five minutes later the pilot transmitted a MAYDAY report to FIS. He indicated that both engines of the aircraft had failed, that there were eight persons on board and that he was going to have to ditch the aircraft, but was trying to reach Whyalla. He requested that assistance be arranged and that his company be advised of the situation. About three minutes later, the pilot reported his position as about 15 nautical miles off the coast from Whyalla. FIS advised the pilot to communicate through another aircraft that was in the area if he lost contact with FIS. The pilot's acknowledgment was the last transmission heard from the aircraft. A few minutes later, the crew of another aircraft heard an emergency locater transmitter (ELT) signal for 10-20 seconds.

Early the following morning, a search and rescue operation located two deceased persons and a small amount of wreckage in Spencer Gulf, near the last reported position of the aircraft. [At approximate co ordinates 34°25′S, 136°45′E]. The aircraft, together with five deceased occupants, was located several days later on the sea-bed. One passenger remained missing.

On 9 June 2000, the wreckage of the aircraft was recovered for examination. Aside from the engines, no fault was found in the aircraft that might have contributed to the accident. Both engines had malfunctioned due to the failure of components of the engines.

1. ATSB Occurrence Nr. 200002157 at https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2000/aair/aair200002157.aspx
2. NTSB Identification: FTW00RA187 at https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20001212X21011&ntsbno=FTW00RA187&akey=1
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whyalla_Airlines_Flight_904
4. https://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/07/24/1058853201925.html
5. https://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/01/28/1043534057190.html
6. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.baaa-acro.com/2000/archives/crash-of-a-piper-pa-31-navajo-chieftain-in-whyalla-8-killed/]

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
21-Jan-2008 10:00	ASN archive	Added
04-May-2015 20:50	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
16-Oct-2017 14:34	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
10-Jun-2022 02:24	Ron Averes	Updated [Location]