Crash Of A7-065

[Rod Farquhar]

For a first hand account of the crash of Macchi A7-065 go to the Gunnies web site
WWW.gunnies.pac.com.au/. The link is at the top left of the page.
Rod. :rolleyes:

[Luig]

Here is another version of that accident:

[This story is from a former RAAF helo aircrewman based at Williamtown.]
(I think Brian Sweeney may have been on No.68 RAAF Pilot Course
- I was on No.67 - but I don't know if it is the same Brian Sweeney).

"If you look up Macchis (Fanta Cans) you will see one lost at
Williamtown around 1975, at Salt Ash range. There was a BBQ Farewell on
a Friday afternoon for a Gunny WOFF getting out after some years of
service. The last aircraft on the range was the Fanta Can flown by
George Clayton and Brian Sweeney (Instructor). As they were about to
leave they were asked for a flyby for the BBQ. They came over the BBQ
at 15' inverted, pulled up in an inverted 40 degree climb to a certain
altitude where Brian started the second half of a loop to come back at
the guys on the ground. When the aircraft was pointing vertically at
the ground, apparently George decided they weren't going to make it,
so did an unannounced ejection!!! Brian meanwhile, front seat gone,
canopy gone, managed to get the thing to level off, but about 10' below
the tree tops pointed at the BBQ. The ground guys saw this but not the
first ejection. The aircraft bashed its way through the trees until it
hit a strong one at the edge of the range which flung the remains
tumbling up into the air. At the top of this climb out went Brian. At
this time the guys on the ground were all running very quickly in the
opposite direction as the wreckage impacted just short of the BBQ. They
only saw Brian get out and thought the other had perished. The SAR
chopper arrived to find two beacons going not one, and were further
confused. Eventually it was sorted out and both were picked up. Brian
was grounded and held at his rank as a naughty boy, not sure what
happened to George."

The aircraft was A7-065. A further comment by another RAAF
(former RAN SE) person was: "that the trees on the range are not high."
Phil.