QUESTIONS were raised about aeroplane maintenance yesterday during in inquest into a Mount Hotham aircraft crash that killed three people.
The Victorian Coroner’s Court was told the light plane that crashed killing Ceres pilot Russell Lee and his passengers, Gold Coast multi-millionaire Brian Ray and wife Kathy, was only required to have a visual inspection during its service.
The probe into their deaths comes after their Piper Navajo Chieftain plane crashed into trees in July 2005 and the bodies recovered three days after the accident.
An investigation following the crash revealed a bolt that connected the throttle was missing.
Aviation consultant Robert Macgillivray said there could be about 10,000 nuts and bolts on some planes and it was impossible to physically check if they were tightened.
He said there was no obligation under the law to do so.
“Maintenance errors do happen,” Mr Macgillivray said. Read more…