Engine failure over Mona Vale golf course 17/08/25

[BurnieM]

VH-BUN Piper Cherokee

 

https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/538365

 

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/two-men-injured-after-light-plane-crashes-on-mona-vale-golf-course/news-story/a1e4ef24416c4161b35e79a2c37fcfa2

 

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/light-plane-makes-emergency-landing-on-mona-vale-golf-range-20250817-p5mnm6.html

 

 

Edited August 17, 2025 by BurnieM

[onetrack]

That was good work on the behalf of that pilot! Good to see no serious injuries, and that they missed the golfers.

[BurnieM]

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/vh-bun#3bc59f1c

 

[facthunter]

I don't think it can be economically repaired  by the looks of it. The OWNER had it on line at Shellharbour.  Mona Vale is well up the Sydney North Shore just before you cross Broken Bay.  Nev

[facthunter]

Looks as though it was getting Plenty of work. It had come from the North after getting there around the West of Sydney. Good thing the Motor didn't fail over the water. I never liked crossing Broken Bay. Nev

[BurnieM]

It had earlier travelled Shell Harbour to Camden then west of Sydney, then north of Hornsby down Broken Bay then southbound coastal near Newport at approx 1000ft when the engine problems occurred.

 

Edited August 17, 2025 by BurnieM

[onetrack]

She was a pretty old Cherokee, a 1967 model. I wonder how many times the engine had been reconditioned?

[BurnieM]

Read a newspaper article (that I now cannot find) that the owner bought it 6 months ago for $60,000.

 

[BurnieM]

[onetrack]

Two injured after plane crash on golf course

WWW.PERTHNOW.COM.AU

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Two men have escaped serious injuries after their light plane made a dramatic emergency landing on a golf course in a major city on Sunday afternoon.

 

SMH story - 

 

Light plane makes emergency landing on Mona Vale golf course

WWW.SMH.COM.AU

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The pilot and a passenger managed to step out of the light plane with only minor injuries after it landed on the fairway in front of the clubhouse.

 

[turboplanner]

I've flown BUN; hit a flock of galahs coming in to land at Cootamundra. If you have to throw an aircraft at a golf course, you couldn't get a better airctraft to help you.

[facthunter]

 They were supposed to be a Land a Matic at the time. Nev

[Garfly]

 

 

 

 

FINAL REPORT:

 

Loss of power and forced landing involving Piper PA-28, VH-BUN, 32 km north-north-east of Sydney Airport, New South Wales, on 17 August 2025 | ATSB

WWW.ATSB.GOV.AU

 

[facthunter]

It's Pretty hard to Know when an Exhaust valve will Break. A loose fitting guide Can Cause it.  OR just Fatigue.  Nev

[BurnieM]

On 17/08/2025 at 6:29 PM, BurnieM said:

Read a newspaper article (that I now cannot find) that the owner bought it 6 months ago for $60,000.

Fatigue ?

 

 

[facthunter]

Motor's done 1800 hours.  Not sure if it's done a TOP. IF I Owned it, I would have.. Nev

[JabiruWeekendWarrior]

The rego for VH-BUN Piper Cherokee seems to have been re-used now showing on CASA web site as 

VH-BUN

Updated 3 December 2025

Aircraft manufacturer

ROBINSON HELICOPTER CO

Aircraft model R44

Edited January 22 by JabiruWeekendWarrior

[facthunter]

I think the Piper is written Off. Nev

[johnm]

`looks like th green suffered no damage ............................. I wonder if golf continued that day