The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Accidents · NTSB DCA15WA181 · Preliminary: the investigation is not finished

Swearingen SA227 accident near Thangool, Au, September 1, 2015

On September 1, 2015 at about 6:00 am local time, a Swearingen SA227, registered VHHPE, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Thangool. No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.

The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged

The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.

Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date
September 1, 2015 · about 6:00 am local time
Place
Thangool, Australia
Type
Accident
Injuries
No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
Weather
not recorded
Aircraft
Swearingen SA227 DC · all SA227s on the register
Registration
VHHPE · no longer on the register · serial DC-823B
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Flight

The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has notified the NTSB of an incident involving a Fairchild SA227 airplane, which occurred on September 01, 2015. The NTSB has appointed a U.S. Accredited Representative to assist the ATSB investigation under the provisions of ICAO Annex 13 as the State of Manufacturer and Design of the airplane. All investigative information will be released by the ATSB.

The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.

The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English

What happened, in order

  1. Wildlife encounter (non-bird) during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event

The aircraft

  • Landing gear: fixed

Weather at the time

  • Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Flight crew1

Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report

The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.

Other NTSB records under VHHPE the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time

2025-11-12DCA26WA032 · incident near South Mackay, outside the U.S.

Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.