Pilatus PC12 incident near Merredin, Au, April 14, 2019
On April 14, 2019, a Pilatus PC12, registered VHOWJ, was involved in an incident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Merredin. It was flown under non-U.S. private rules. No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. 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
- April 14, 2019
- Place
- Merredin, Australia
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Pilatus PC12 · all PC12s on the register
- Registration
- VHOWJ · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On April 14, 2019, at 0020 local time, a Pilauts PC-12 airplane, VH-OWJ, experienced an uncontrolled pitch down while climbing through 2,600 ft mean sea level near Merredin, Western Australia. The pilot and three passengers were not injured. The airplane was undamaged. The medical transport flight was being operated under the pertinent civil regulations for the government of Australia. The pilot regained control of the airplane and returned to Merredin. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is investigating the accident. The NTSB has designated a US accredited representative to assist the ATSB in its investigation. All inquiries concerning this accident should be directed to the ATSB: Australian Transport Safety Bureau 62 Northbourne Avenue Canberra ACT 2601 Tel: 1 800 020 616 Tel: (02) 6257 4150 International: +61 2 6257 4150 https://www.atsb.gov.au/
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
- Loss of control in flight during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
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.