A quick-thinking pilot instructor’s decision to use a golf course as an emergency runway after a light plane’s engine failed about 1600 feet above Sydney’s northern beaches helped avoid a worse crash, an investigation has found.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s (ATSB) probe of the light plane crash on a Mona Vale golf club fairway on August 17, 2025, when a student pilot sustained minor injuries, found that an exhaust valve caused an engine failure.
The valve broke away from its stem in the third cylinder of the 1967 Piper Cherokee’s engine, causing extensive damage, the investigation concluded.
The cause of the exhaust valve failure could not be determined, but the engine’s manufacturer had previously provided advice about the risks of engine oil contamination causing valves to stick.
The plane took off for a navigation training flight from Wollongong with the student pilot and instructor on board. But during the flight, the engine’s RPM began to drop rapidly as unusual noises began to be heard.
About six minutes later, while trying to reach Long Reef golf course and with the engine progressively decreasing in power, the instructor decided to land at Mona Vale golf course instead.
Long Reef had fewer trees, but Mona Vale was closer, and the engine RPM was progressively decreasing, according to the ATSB report.
“This investigation highlights the importance of effective decision-making skills in emergency situations,” ATSB chief commissioner Angus Mitchell said.
Previous ATSB investigations had highlighted how delaying a decision to land after an engine malfunction can lead to more challenging landings.
The bureau said the instructor’s timely decision to land sooner probably minimised the adverse consequences of the forced landing.
But during the final stages of the approach, the pilot realised the plane would not be able to safely land straight ahead and made a right turn to avoid facilities, dropping the right wing and causing the plane to land heavily.
It came to a stop before the clubhouse on the 15th hole.
The landing caused substantial damage to the plane, while the student pilot sustained minor injuries.
The leased plane’s operator, Airspeed Aviation, has reviewed its processes and is consulting with other industry participants to create guidance on using aircraft with older engines in response to the crash, the ATSB reported.
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