CASA turns up heat on Bathurst crash pilot with Federal Court action

The aviation safety regulator is turning up the heat on a pilot who crashed his light plane into a barrier during the Bathurst 1000 broadcast.

A pilot who crashed his light plane into a concrete barrier while delivering the Peter Brock Trophy to the Mount Panorama racetrack at Bathurst is being investigated by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority for allegedly disregarding aviation rules.

Hayden Pullen, 55, continued to fly his $500,000 Extra EA 300-LT following the crash which was captured on live television during the Bathurst 1000 broadcast.

Prior to the crash, the high performance aircraft touched down on grass instead of the tarmac in what appeared to be windy conditions, before veering into the barrier.

Video footage showed the impact broke off several pieces from the right horizontal stabiliser that helps to keep an aircraft stable or flying straight.

In scenes that left other pilots shaking their heads, Mr Pullen then took off over a crowd of spectators without so much as a walkaround of his damaged aircraft.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has since filed a lawsuit against Mr Pullen in the Federal Court, arising from the incident at Bathurst on October 13, 2024, as well as previous incidents involving the pilot.

Hayden Pullen helped reassemble a Yak 110 at Archerfield Airport for the Pacific Airshow on the Gold Coast in 2023. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen.

It’s understood the court action is seeking more time for CASA to investigate “serious, wilful or repeated disregard of the aviation rules”.

“We can immediately suspend a licence or authorisation for five days while we investigate,” said CASA’s website.

“If we need more time to investigate, we must apply to the Federal Court and the court may allow further time to complete an investigation.”

No date has been set for the first hearing in the Federal Court of Canberra before Judge Melissa Perry — a former squadron leader with the Royal Australian Air Force.

As well as facing heat from the CASA, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau had launched its own “no blame” investigation into the Bathurst incident.

In its investigation brief, the ATSB said the “evidence collection phase” would involve interviewing the pilot and the collection of other relevant information.

A final report was expected by mid-2025.

A former race car driver, Mr Pullen was inspired to get his pilot’s licence in 2009 after tagging along on an aerobatics flight with an ex-military pilot.

He performed at the Pacific Airshow on the Gold Coast in 2023 and 2024, in a display described as “pushing the limits of both pilot and machine”.

Mr Pullen was unable to be contacted for comment on Monday.

Flight radar data showed the EA-300 registered VH-XKW has not flown since October 26.