ATSB lauds golf course crash pilot’s ‘efficient decision-making’ – Australian Aviation

The ATSB has praised the decision-making of a flight teacher who landed a aircraft on Mona Vale golf course final 12 months.

In dramatic scenes that unfold throughout social media, the Piper PA-28, VA-BUN, crashed on the golf course on Sydney’s Northern Seashores on 17 August 2025 following a mechanical failure, with a scholar pilot sustaining minor accidents and the plane itself struggling heavy injury.

The ATSB’s investigation discovered that an exhaust valve broke within the Cherokee’s engine, inflicting a “fast lack of energy” at round 1,600 toes.

“The supply of the engine failure was discovered to be the exhaust valve of the engine’s quantity 3 cylinder, which broke away from its stem and brought on intensive injury to the inner surfaces of the cylinder, its piston and spark plugs,” the ATSB mentioned.

“On this case, the reason for the exhaust valve failure couldn’t be decided. Nevertheless, the ATSB’s remaining report notes the engine’s producer, Textron Lycoming, has supplied upkeep practices to cut back the potential for valve sticking.”

After listening to “uncommon noises” and noticing a lack of engine RPM, the teacher took management of the aircraft and meant to land at Lengthy Reef golf course, however switched to Mona Vale after judging the plane wouldn’t attain Lengthy Reef.

“Throughout the remaining phases of the method, the pilot realised that they had positioned the plane such that they may not safely land straight forward, and so made a proper flip to keep away from the golf course amenities,” the ATSB mentioned.

“Throughout the flip the suitable wing dropped. The plane subsequently landed closely, leading to substantial injury, and minor accidents to the coed pilot.”

Based on ATSB chief commissioner Angus Mitchell, the pilot’s “immediate identification of an appropriate compelled touchdown website meant a worse potential consequence was averted”.

“The trainer was proactive in sustaining an consciousness of potential touchdown websites all through the flight,” he mentioned.

“About six minutes into the incidence, because the engine RPM progressively decreased, the teacher was capable of decide that the most secure possibility could be to conduct a touchdown on the Mona Vale golf course.

“This investigation highlights the significance of efficient decision-making expertise in emergency conditions.”

Eyewitness Keanu Turnewitsch informed the ABC on the time he had seen a “huge shadow” passing overhead proper earlier than the crash touchdown.

“I believed, ‘It’s a giant hen’ and appeared up and there was an airplane shut sufficient I might have thrown a membership up and hit it,” he mentioned.

“It was lifeless silence. About 30 seconds later, we had a giant crunching sound … then all of the ambulances and all the things began coming previous and sirens for 20, half-hour.

“By the point we acquired again up round, there was an airplane on the golf course.”

Based on the ATSB, the coaching operator has since undertaken “a number of security actions, together with revising its emergency briefing content material, finishing a evaluation of competency in conducting engine failure procedures for its instructors, and commencing a course of to verify college students’ post-engine failure competencies”.