At about the halfway point the pilots encountered an area of low cloud and rain in storms that stretched from Cape Ford south-east towards the inland direct track, a distance of about 100 km. As they came up to the area the pilots on the direct track diverted slightly to the east (right of track) to get around the cloud mass. Those pilots broadcast their intentions and reported the existence of good visibility and cloud base to the east (right of track) and ahead of the stormy weather. Of the three aircraft on the coastal track, two pilots tracked inland in response to the weather they could see and the broadcasts from other pilots. One of these pilots manoeuvred around the weather and established himself on the direct track. The other pilot found a gap though the storms by tracking inland of the coast and continued onto the mouth of the Daly River, then resumed a coastal track in relatively clear conditions. At some point the pilot of the Cessna 210 broadcast his position and intentions. This radio call, on the discrete frequency used by the group, was heard by a number of the other pilots at about 1510. Communications made on that frequency were not recorded, but the general consensus was that the pilot reported approaching Cape Ford at 500 ft and that the weather ahead was gloomy, or words to that effect. The pilot did not sound distressed and at the time no importance was attached to the call. However, that was the last time anyone heard from the Cessna 210. The aircraft in the group continued on their respective tracks to Emkaytee with a small diversion required due to a small storm about 50 km before the destination. After arrival of all the other aircraft the pilots realised that the Cessna 210 had not arrived. The search and rescue authorities were notified and some pilots from the group departed in a few aircraft to search the area where the pilot last reported and to check the airstrips in the area. Searching in the Cape Ford area was not possible due to continuing storm activity, and fading light forced the return of the search aircraft. The searching resumed the next morning until some bodies and a small amount of wreckage from the aircraft were found on the southern part of Anson Bay, about 10 km south-east of Cape Ford. There were no survivors. No more sightings of aircraft wreckage were made until October 2013, when wreckage was sighted in Anson Bay at low tide, about 2 km from the southern shoreline where debris had been found. Northern Territory police attended the site and collected information that confirmed that the wreckage was VH-EFB.
At about the halfway point the pilots encountered an area of low cloud and rain in storms that stretched from Cape Ford south-east towards the inland direct track, a distance of about 100 km. As they came up to the area the pilots on the direct track diverted slightly to the east (right of track) to get around the cloud mass. Those pilots broadcast their intentions and reported the existence of good visibility and cloud base to the east (right of track) and ahead of the stormy weather. Of the three aircraft on the coastal track, two pilots tracked inland in response to the weather they could see and the broadcasts from other pilots. One of these pilots manoeuvred around the weather and established himself on the direct track. The other pilot found a gap though the storms by tracking inland of the coast and continued onto the mouth of the Daly River, then resumed a coastal track in relatively clear conditions. At some point the pilot of the Cessna 210 broadcast his position and intentions. This radio call, on the discrete frequency used by the group, was heard by a number of the other pilots at about 1510. Communications made on that frequency were not recorded, but the general consensus was that the pilot reported approaching Cape Ford at 500 ft and that the weather ahead was gloomy, or words to that effect. The pilot did not sound distressed and at the time no importance was attached to the call. However, that was the last time anyone heard from the Cessna 210. The aircraft in the group continued on their respective tracks to Emkaytee with a small diversion required due to a small storm about 50 km before the destination. After arrival of all the other aircraft the pilots realised that the Cessna 210 had not arrived. The search and rescue authorities were notified and some pilots from the group departed in a few aircraft to search the area where the pilot last reported and to check the airstrips in the area. Searching in the Cape Ford area was not possible due to continuing storm activity, and fading light forced the return of the search aircraft. The searching resumed the next morning until some bodies and a small amount of wreckage from the aircraft were found on the southern part of Anson Bay, about 10 km south-east of Cape Ford. There were no survivors. No more sightings of aircraft wreckage were made until October 2013, when wreckage was sighted in Anson Bay at low tide, about 2 km from the southern shoreline where debris had been found. Northern Territory police attended the site and collected information that confirmed that the wreckage was VH-EFB.
ao-2013-063_final.docx