What happened
On Saturday, March 22, 2025, a vintage Ryan ST-M/2 aircraft registered VH-AWG overturned during landing at Melbourne-Tyabb Airport on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula. The aircraft, built in 1940 and powered by a Menasco Manufacturing Company PIRATE C4S engine, was being operated as a private flight. The pilot, a man in his 70s and the sole occupant, was the only person on board.
During the landing roll on grassland adjacent to the airport, the aircraft lost control and flipped onto its roof. The pilot managed to self-extricate from the wreckage and was transported to Frankston Hospital with non-life-threatening upper body injuries. Emergency services responded promptly to the scene after the incident was reported around midday local time.
The aircraft sustained substantial damage to its airframe and structure as a result of the overturn. The exact cause of the accident remains under investigation by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), with preliminary reports suggesting the pilot lost control during the landing phase. Factors such as mechanical failure, weather conditions, and operational errors have not yet been ruled out.
The ATSB will examine the aircraft's maintenance history, pilot experience, and environmental conditions to determine the contributing factors to the accident.