A preliminary report into the fatal crash of a training aircraft at Parafield Airport in Adelaide has raised safety concerns about the aircraft’s airworthiness and maintenance procedures. On April 29, a Diamond DA42 twin-engine plane crashed into a Flight Training Adelaide hangar, killing 29-year-old flight instructor Robert Hoyle and a 24-year-old student pilot. The impact sparked a fire that destroyed the aircraft and damaged four others, while nine people on the ground sustained injuries ranging from moderate to life-threatening.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation revealed that shortly after takeoff, the flight was simulating an engine failure as part of multi-engine pilot training. The plane was airborne for just 46 seconds and reached a height of only 161 feet before losing control and crashing. The instructor made an initial radio call stating "engine failure," but no further communication occurred.
A key finding in the ATSB’s preliminary report identified a fatigue crack in the nose landing gear actuator rod, which had separated from the lever arm. This failure caused the nose landing gear to remain extended after the main gear retracted and is believed to have applied pressure on the rudder control, forcing the rudder into full left deflection and causing the aircraft to yaw left uncontrollably. The DA42’s nose wheel steering and rudder systems are interconnected, meaning that damage to the actuator can directly affect rudder movement.
ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell noted that similar component failures have previously been reported with the DA42 model, prompting the manufacturer Diamond Aircraft Industries to issue mandatory service bulletins in 2013 and 2019 addressing actuator fractures. Mitchell emphasized that the investigation is ongoing, and it remains unclear whether the left engine actually failed or if the failure was simulated as part of the training. The report also highlighted that simulated engine failures should not be conducted below 400 feet, while this flight began the simulation at a much lower altitude.
The crash is not the first incident involving Flight Training Adelaide or the Parafield training environment. Earlier in the year, a student pilot’s aircraft caught fire after a left wing stall forced it off the runway with no injuries reported, and less than a month after the fatal crash, another student pilot experienced an engine misfire after takeoff but was able to land safely. These incidents have raised concerns among local residents about overall safety standards at the flight school.
Questions have been raised about the adequacy of inspection and maintenance routines, given that the fatigue crack in the landing gear actuator was not detected before the fatal accident. While the ATSB investigation may take up to two years to conclude, authorities have advised operators to be alert to the risks posed by possible actuator fractures affecting flight control.
In response to the tragedy, Flight Training Adelaide has established an annual scholarship in memory of Robert Hoyle to support aspiring pilots. The incident has put the operator under increased scrutiny to improve safety practices and maintenance standards moving forward.