Experimental havarerte i Australia - Australian Aviation

HOME-MADE OSPREY 2 THAT CRASHED INTO BACKYARD WAS ON THIRD FLIGHT

written by Adam Thorn
June 26, 2020

A home-built Osprey 2 that crashed into a NSW backyard in May, killing its pilot, was conducting only its third flight, an ATSB preliminary report has revealed.

Royal Newcastle Aero Club member Andy Shepherd, 44, tragically died after his amphibious aircraft, VH-WID, started spewing smoke just minutes after take-off from Maitland Airport at about 2,000 feet in the air.

The early preliminary report gave no hints as to what caused the crash in the Hunter region of NSW, but was able to shed light on the events of the day.

“The planned flight involved climbing to 3,000 feet to conduct flight-testing over the airfield,” said ATSB’s director of transport safety, Stuart Macleod.