Fallon/Pike – 2 Apr 87

A8-128                   [3,216.4 total flying hours]

Pilot:                    FLTLT Mark ‘Speed’ Fallon
                               CAT C QFI – 873 hrs F-111 

Navigator:          FLGOFF Bill Pike
                               UNCAT – 47.9 hrs F-111; student, 26 OPCON

Fatal Accident @ Night, Land Strike.  During a night, simulated weapons tactic against a land strike target near Tenterfield, NSW, the aircraft impacted the ground.  Aircraft break-up was extensive and both crew members were killed.

Aerial view of the impact

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Accident summary.   The sortie was the Final Handling Test (FHT) for the student navigator prior to completing No 26 F-111C Operational Conversion Course.  It was the first F-111 FHT conducted by the pilot since his F-111C Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) conversion more accident details in this extract from DDAAFS Safety Magazine “Sifting Through the Evidence” DDAAFS_F-111 Accident_128