The air
freighter cleared Temple Bar within seconds and prepared for landing. The pilots
were looking through the window into the black, moonless night. Suddenly, a huge,
dark shape burst into view. Frantically, the pilot grabbed the controls and
yanked them back as hard as he could, trying to lift the plane in a last ditch
effort, but it was too late……
On a crisp desert
morning my companion and I decided to challenge ourselves with a hike to the crash
site of the Westwind 1124 VH-AJS. I
drive by this site almost every day and look up at the inhospitable cliff face in
wonder, tinged with a feeling of morbidity and a kicked-bucket, full of awe.
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| The kangaroos on the edge of the escarpment |
There isn’t a track to be found except the ones Kangaroos have ground out. The first 300 metres was steep, with slippery rubble and several loose rocks that tumbled down the slope disturbed by my large, clumsy feet. Lexi, who was following me at the time, jumped sideways to avoid the avalanche and decided to run around me and lead me out. Smart dog!
In an exhale of relief and with a fine layer of sweat to offer the cold wind, we reached the flat area up the top. From below, it doesn’t look like there is any room, but there is a spinifex covered strip of level ground along the range about 200 metres wide in most places. It seems that birds, reptiles and kangaroos have lived here without any disturbance for many a year.
 |
| Dodging spinifex all the way |
And then the
unthinkable happened during a dark night on 27 April 1995.
Rod Cramer heard the explosion
of 14,000 litres of A1 jet fuel at the Temple Bar Caravan Park from about 4
km's away and put his SES (State Emergency Service) uniform on and made his way up to this yet to
be named rock.
“Initial impact occurred when the right wingtip tank struck a rock on the north-western edge of the escarpment. The first major impact occurred 60 metres further on when the landing gear and the lower fuselage struck large rocks. The fire trail began at this point. The aircraft then progressively broke up as it continued across the top of the escarpment before cart wheeling into a ravine on the southern side. The wings and empennage, along with both engines, were at the base of the ravine. Most components had been severely affected by fire.”
“Initial impact occurred when the right wingtip tank struck a rock on the north-western edge of the escarpment. The first major impact occurred 60 metres further on when the landing gear and the lower fuselage struck large rocks. The fire trail began at this point. The aircraft then progressively broke up as it continued across the top of the escarpment before cart wheeling into a ravine on the southern side. The wings and empennage, along with both engines, were at the base of the ravine. Most components had been severely affected by fire.”
Information taken from the report of the Bureau of Air Safety Investigation
 |
| First sighting |
My heart sunk and a lump forced itself into my throat when I came across
the first piece of debris, a small metal rectangle with two screws neatly punched
through the metal.
Feeling uncomfortable about something, I continue on in a diagonal line across the top of the range. I found torn metal, smashed boxes with wires and unrecognisable bits and pieces that once formed a sleek machine that sliced through the sky with ease.
The broken wings flung some way down a narrow ravine - this is a sad place to be.
Feeling uncomfortable about something, I continue on in a diagonal line across the top of the range. I found torn metal, smashed boxes with wires and unrecognisable bits and pieces that once formed a sleek machine that sliced through the sky with ease.
The broken wings flung some way down a narrow ravine - this is a sad place to be.
 |
| Grass starting to take over |
The two
pilots and a passenger, the report stated,....died instantly.
Rod spent 24 hours on top of the range and found himself in charge of
recovering the three bodies. ”It is one of the hardest physical things I have
ever done” he said as the loaded stretcher had to be hauled up the steep, rocky
slope and carried to the helicopter on top.
He knew a couple of people that worked on the recovery that were affected by what they saw. Rod used the words ‘privilege’ and ‘respect’ to describe his feelings of that night - he appeared to be at ease talking about the whole ordeal.
He knew a couple of people that worked on the recovery that were affected by what they saw. Rod used the words ‘privilege’ and ‘respect’ to describe his feelings of that night - he appeared to be at ease talking about the whole ordeal.
 |
| Photo of an identical Westwind 1124 VH-AJS |
Cargo was spread around everywhere according to Rod. People's tax
returns were found and bizarre specimen jars of human tissue. A huge amount of US Dollars had scattered
itself across the top like a lucrative snowfield.
How can
such a thing happen? What in earth's name
causes a well-equipped, modern plane to
crash on a mountain? |
| Rod - third from top left in training at Kings Canyon with his SES mates |
 |
| A piece of hose |
The
crash report of the Westwind is an involved, detailed document. The plane's engines were humming in the background on the cockpit recorder. This means the crash wasn't caused by any mechanical failure. The investigator concluded in his report that the minima was set too low by the pilots being a recipe for disaster. It was set for 2300 feet rather than the prescribed 2700. A pinch of forgetfulness with a few grams of shortcutting and some inadequate checking of the flight path finding it's way on the menu. It becomes clear in the report that the two pilots didn’t get along, had argued on a previous flight and
that any discrepancy in altitude could have been ignored due to their, this time
fatal, level of ill-feeling towards each other.
 |
| Part of a water bottle |
 |
| Lexi looking down at Ilparpa road from the initial point of impact |
On
the way back, Lexi started chasing kangaroos and I could hear her yapping
delightfully in the distance, even though she would never be fast enough to
catch any of them. My mind went to the guys that lost their lives up there, wondering
what it would be like. Staring imminent death in the face, much alike looking
into the barrel of a gun that is about to go off. Never mind who was at fault,
who was squabbling with who or who forgot what. The truth is that any man who
faces such a final shock like these highly skilled pilots and their passenger did, makes them, in my opinion,
heroes in their own right.
Lets not forget that they belong to families that never saw them return. Their spirits forever lingering at the rock without name.
Lets not forget that they belong to families that never saw them return. Their spirits forever lingering at the rock without name.
 |
| The cross on the edge of the ravine |
Grey Bits
Let your mind rome to the amazing job the SES are doing. Well done for making our world a better place to live!
If you want to check out the SES and maybe even join this valuable organisation as a volunteer, check out this website www.ses.sa.gov.au
If you like to have a read of the full report of the Westwind crash you can find it on my website
https://www.facebook.com/storiesfrommars
If you want to check out the SES and maybe even join this valuable organisation as a volunteer, check out this website www.ses.sa.gov.au
If you like to have a read of the full report of the Westwind crash you can find it on my website
https://www.facebook.com/storiesfrommars
If the range ever were to be named, I suggest we call it the Westwind Range.
 |
| This willy wagtail appeared surprised with our company |
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