Emergency Landing At Bankstown

[Grahame Hutchison]

Bankstown airport has been closed for the past half hour, after a twin declared an emergency. The aircraft circled the airport several times before making a perfect wheels up landing. Everyone onboard was safe and emergency vehicles were at the scene immediately. A great result by the pilot.

I had just been photographing a beautiful 1943 model Cessna 195 and Stearman A75N1, when I became aware of the emergency. I raced back to the car for my longer lens, and arrived back on the grass area near the Police Air Wing just as the aircraft came to a halt. The sound of metal on the ground is somewhat eerie.

Runway 29L is now being used for arrivals, with 29C and 29R closed due to the emergency and the disabled aircraft.

Moments after the aircraft came to a stop, the pilot and two passengers have a group hug away from the aircraft, no doubt feeling very relieved.
http://www.16right.com/MessageBoard/D300-2012-06-23-052.jpg

Fire Fighters were first on the scene to secure the site in case of fire.
http://www.16right.com/MessageBoard/D300-2012-06-23-054.jpg

Ambulance crews arrive to check on the pilot and passengers.
http://www.16right.com/MessageBoard/D300-2012-06-23-058.jpg

Fire Brigade, Ambulance and Police all attended the scene.
http://www.16right.com/MessageBoard/D300-2012-06-23-065.jpg

The Cabri G2 VH-CDU operated by Helicopter Transport And Training, took off and flew right around the scene
http://www.16right.com/MessageBoard/D300-2012-06-23-077.jpg

The pilot draped in a blanket to keep warm and in case of shock.
http://www.16right.com/MessageBoard/D300-2012-06-23-083.jpg

Airport Operations Security escort the emergency vehicles from the scene, back across Runway 29R to the Terminal area.
http://www.16right.com/MessageBoard/D300-2012-06-23-084.jpg

Both propellers were damaged during the landing.
http://www.16right.com/MessageBoard/D300-2012-06-23-082.jpg

[Wayne D]

A great result. When I was flying in/out of YSBK I always worried about EFAT on 29 direction. It's good to hear of gear up landings going well, but probably an expensive exercise with perhaps 2 prop strikes, ouch!

[David C]

Indeed a good outcome .. I guess EFAT in any runway direction is not to be welcomed , however, would the 11 direction at Bankstown be less favorable than in the 29 direction . I've never flown out of there but the surroundings would suggest that to me . Well done to the crew of the twin ..

Dave C

[Jason H]

Off 11 you have Milperra Road and that is about it. At least off 29 you have the golf course. It seems EFATO in 11 direction would most likely lead to a very unfortunate outcome.

[Jayden Laing]

Do you know what the rego is of the crashed plane Grahame??

[Grahame Hutchison]

Jayden, Unfortunately the registration of the aircraft is not visible on any of my images, I might have a look on Webtrak and my ADS-B logs.

[Andrew Coggan]

Rego was VH-EZG Jayden.

Photo. (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Beech-58-Baron/2122693/L/&sid=6d4e5234aa30df2334aefa54cad676a1)

[Grahame Hutchison]

Looks to be a privately owned Beech Baron 1977 model.