Overview
- The Australian Transport Safety Bureau concluded the amateur-built Morgan Cougar Mk1 entered an accelerated stall during a steep, low-altitude left turn about 17 minutes after departing West Sale Airport.
- Pilot Luke Smith had a documented pattern of low flying and steep turns, with multiple informal warnings that were not reported to authorities, and he had recently acquired the aircraft without transition training.
- Investigators identified irregular training and examination practices at Adventure Flight Training, and the pilot’s exam record showed gaps in understanding stall speed, load factor and angle of bank.
- The aircraft’s design increased injury severity, including limited energy attenuation in the landing gear and seats, a forward-mounted fuel tank that ruptured and ignited, and likely automotive seatbelts that failed.
- Recreational Aviation Australia suspended certification for the school’s graduates, and RAAus along with CASA is strengthening exam controls and authorisation‑reporting processes in response.