Piper PA-28-180 accident near Horsham, Victoria, Au, August 15, 2011
On August 15, 2011 at about 8:50 am local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered VHPOJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Horsham, Victoria. It was a personal flight under non-U.S. private rules. 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- August 15, 2011 · about 8:50 am local time
- Place
- Horsham, Victoria, Australia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- VHPOJ · no longer on the register · serial 28-2593
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 15, 2011, about 0850 UTC (1850 local time), a Piper PA-28-180, Australian registry VH-POJ, collided with terrain near the Horsham aerodrome, Horsham, Victoria, Australia. The airplane was operated by a private owner under the auspices of the pertinent civil aviation regulations of the government of Australia. The airplane was substantially damaged. Two occupants were fatally injured and one occupant sustained serious injuries. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of and being investigated by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. This document contains only the information released by the government of Australia. Further information can be obtained by contacting the ATSB at: Australian Transport Safety Bureau PO Box 967 Civic Square ACT 2608 Canberra, Australia www.atsb.au.gov
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
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.