Arafura Aviation engine failure behind light plane ’crash’ at Top End nudist beach on Good Friday
A pilot’s cockpit trouble ended in a surprise landing on a Top End nudist beach. See how the community came together to save the bogged plane before the tides took it out to sea.
News
Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
UPDATE, April 1: A light plane which was forced into an emergency landing on a Top End nudist beach was saved from being washed out to sea by a rapid rescue operation.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau confirmed a Piper PA-32 aircraft, operated by Arafura Aviation, was forced to make an “unexpected landing” at the nudist section at Casuarina beach after an engine failure around 11am on Friday, March 29.
Arafura Aviation praised their pilot for his “calmness under pressure” during the mid-flight partial power loss, with the emergency landing resulting in no damage or injuries.
While the light plane initially landed on firm ground, it ended up badly bogged in sludgy sand for hours.
Initial attempts to restart the plane were also hampered by a midday storm, with significant concerns that the high tide would wash away the light plane if they could not drag it out in time.
NT Towing 4X4 Recovery said they were called to the nudist section of Casuarina Beach to retrieve a light passenger plane hours after the emergency landing.
“The team loaded up and headed in before the 6.3m tide got to the aircraft,” the towing company posted to Facebook.
“With some trax, a winch extension strap plus a tree trunk protector made into a bridle by the plane’s engineer, the crew set up the BT50 to winch the plane out and up onto the hard sand.”
Videos shared by NT Towing 4X4 Recovery showed six people working together to manoeuvre the plane to firm sand before it could take off from the nudist beach, while a number of fully-clothed onlookers cheered.
Arafura Aviation reveal cause behind light plane ’crash’ at Top End nudist beach on Good Friday
Update, March 30: An Arafura Aviation pilot has been praised for his “calmness under pressure” after the light aircraft he was flying had to make a surprise landing on a Top End nudist beach.
The Piper PA-32 aircraft, owned by Arafura Aviation, made its “unexpected landing” along the nudist section at Casuarina beach just after 11am on Friday.
Police, fire and ambulance personnel attended, however the pilot – who was the sole occupant of the aircraft – and plane were uninjured and did not suffer any damage.
The plane was, however, bogged in soggy sand.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau confirmed the landing had been due to engine failure.
A spokeswoman for Arafura Aviation confirmed the aircraft had experienced “partial power loss”, resulting in the pilot making a “precautionary landing”.
“We commend the pilot for his calmness under pressure, and his adherence to his emergency training and company procedures,” the spokeswoman said.
“It reinforces to use the value of the additional training we put into our pilots to ensure that they are ready to deal with these situations when they occur, as rare as they might be.”
She said safety was of the “highest priority” for Arafura Aviation, and that both the ATSB and Civil Aviation Safety Authority had been informed about the incident.
They extended their thanks to the emergency services personnel who attended the scene.
Wrong kind of landing strip: Plane ’crash’ at Top End nudist beach
Initial, March 29: Darwin nudists were given a little fright for Good Friday when a light plane was forced to make an emergency landing on the beach.
Emergency Services received reports of an aircraft crash on the nudist section of Casuarina Beach just after 11am on Friday.
The Arafura Aviation charter plane was reportedly forced to make an “unexpected landing” on the sand, initially landing on firm ground before drifting into boggy sand.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau confirmed the forced landing was due to engine failure of a Piper PA-32 aircraft.
“The ATSB is gathering further information to inform a decision on whether to investigate,” a spokesman said.
St John NT Ambulance Services Director Andrew Thomas confirmed the pilot, who was the only person on board, was uninjured in the emergency landing.
“He (the pilot) got out with no issues,” Mr Thomas said.
He said the alarm was raised when the Piper PA-32 “dropped off” the radar, with emergency services called to response.
The pilot was seen making numerous unsuccessful attempts to restart the plane’s engine, however the aircraft’s wheels were completely stuck in the sand.
It is understood that the company is in a battle against time to retrieve the plane, with storms hampering recovery efforts as the tide began to rise.
NT tops nation for stroke risk
A new report has revealed the Northern Territory has the country’s highest rates of key stroke risk factors.
Feds commit $3.6m for Darwin Administrative Review Tribunal
The NT will no longer be the only place in Australia without a tribunal registry, improving access to justice for a range of issues – including tax, welfare payments, child support and visas.