Skydiving aircraft crash, near Moruya, NSW - 27th Sept 2025 - pilot killed

[onetrack]

The media is reporting the crash of a Skydiving aircraft shortly after dropping off a group of skydivers, near Moruya. The sole person on board was the pilot, and he has been identified as Paul "Poo" Smith,aged 54.

 

The aircraft belonged to the company Skyone, and ABC News is reporting it as a Pilatus Porter. The aircraft rego is VH-XAA. The photo of the Cessna VH-8AX, in the 7NEWS report, is NOT the aircraft involved in this Moruya crash.

 

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/south-coast-plane-crash-pilot-identified-as-skydiving-legend-paul-poo-smith-20250927-p5mycu.html

 

https://7news.com.au/news/breaking/man-dead-after-skydiving-plane-crash-on-nsw-south-coast-c-20160358

 

https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/547115

 

 

Edited September 27 by onetrack

[onetrack]

The aircraft was manufactured in 1980, and spent nearly all its life in NZ, where it did many years of skydiving work. The first 17 mths of its life, it served as a Pilatus Aircraft Co demonstrator.

 

It was sold to Australia in March 2025, and only re-registered as VH-XAA on 15th Aug 2025.

 

The bottom photo in the link below, was taken by the deceased pilot on 20th August 2025. It had apparently just had a major 14 year overhaul.

 

https://www.pc-6.com/history/809.htm

 

 

Edited September 27 by onetrack

[facthunter]

Good Plane for the  Job. Hope we find out what Happened.  Nev

[facthunter]

Beta? Nev

[IBob]

Could be, Nev.

Jumped a Porter at Peterborough in the UK, late '70s.
We later heard that when in when the pilot selected Beta shortly after takeoff. I have no idea if that is likely or correct, but certainly the aircraft was written off.

Oh, hold on, that's all wrong: aileron/s separated during descent, here is the report:
https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-pilatus-pc-6b2-h2-turbo-porter-near-peterborough

 

Edited September 28 by IBob

[facthunter]

I was wondering if it is used on descent these days? There has always been some concerns with using it.    Nev

[IBob]

I would say quite likely in skydive operations, where the emphasis is on minimum flight time.
Certainly there are pics out there of freefall jumpers with Porters in the background in pointing straight down....that would a descent rate of 10,000fpm.
However, that's certainly not to say this accident aircraft was flown in that way.

[onetrack]

There must be some disquiet and great concern amongst the maintenance crew in NZ that overhauled the Pilatus, just recently. The photos I've seen, appear to indicate an in-flight breakup.

[facthunter]

Bit too early to make that connection. Of course it will be checked as a matter of due process, A NEW one could break up also in certain conditions.  NZ is not a place Known for shoddy  aircraft work. They actually Punch well above their weight there. Nev

[onetrack]

Nev, I'm not pointing any fingers or trying to lay blame, I just feel for those blokes who worked on the aircraft just recently, they must be feeling greatly concerned. This pilot reportedly had over 20,000 hrs in his logbook, doing much the same type of (skydiving) work for years. The Pilatus has a very good safety record, and it appears there was little the pilot of this aircraft could do, to save himself and the aircraft.

 

Edited September 28 by onetrack

[BrendAn]

9 hours ago, facthunter said:

Beta? Nev

What does beta mean

[onetrack]

https://skybrary.aero/articles/beta-range

 

[BrendAn]

16 minutes ago, onetrack said:

https://skybrary.aero/articles/beta-range

 

Thanks. 👍