Aircraft Accident Investigation Summary Report Ref. No. V116/783/1047
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What has come to be termed the Valentich Disappearance occurred on October 21, 1978, when 20 year old Frederick Valentich disappeared while piloting a small Cessna 182 airplane over the Bass Strait to King Island, Australia, after reporting a strange craft flying increasingly close in proximity. The disappearance generated significant press attention, both throughout Australia and internationally. No trace of Valentich or his Cessna has been found, and his puzzling description of a large, unusual aircraft has earned his vanishing a place in UFO lore.
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- Commonwealth of Australia
- Department of Transport
- AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION SUMMARY REPORT
- Publication of this report is authorised by the Secretary under the provisions of Air Navigation Regulations 283(1).
- Reference No.
- V116/783/1047
Contents |
[edit] 1. Location of Occurrance
- Not known
[edit] Height e.m.t.l.
- -
[edit] Date
- 21.10.78
[edit] Time (local)
- Not known
[edit] Zone
- EST
[edit] 2. The Aircraft
[edit] Make and Model
- Cessna 182L
[edit] Registration
- VH-DSJ
[edit] Certificate of Airworthiness
- Valid from 14 February 1968
[edit] Certificate of Registration issued to
- Cephus Day,
- 33 Reserve Road,
- Beaumauris, Victoria
[edit] Operator
- SAS Southern Air Services,
- Northern Avenue,
- Moorabbin Airport, Victoria
[edit] Degree of damage to aircraft
- Not known
[edit] Other property damaged
- -
[edit] Defects Discovered
- -
[edit] 3. The Flight
[edit] Last or intended departure point
- Moorabbin
[edit] Time of departure
- 1819 hours
[edit] Next point of intended landing
- King Island
[edit] Purpose of flight
- Travel
[edit] Class of operation
- Private
[edit] 4. The Crew
[edit] Name
- Frederick VALENTICH
[edit] Status
- Pilot
[edit] Age
- 20
[edit] Class of license
- Private
[edit] Hours on type
- Not known
[edit] Total hours
- 150 (Approx.)
[edit] Degree of injury
- Presumed fatal
[edit] 5. Other Persons (All passengers and persons injured on ground)
[edit] Name
[edit] Status
[edit] Degree of injury
[edit] Name
[edit] Status
[edit] Degree of injury
[edit] 6. Relevent Events
- The pilot obtained a Class Four instrument rating on 11 May 1978 and he was therefore authorised to operate at night in visual meteorological conditions (VMC). On the afternoon of 21 October 1978 he attended the Moorabbin Briefing Office, obtained a meteorological briefing and, at 1723 hours, submitted a flight plan for a night VMC flight from Moorabbin to King Island and return. The cruising altitude nominated in the flight plan was below 5000 feet, with estimated time intervals of 41 minutes to Cape Otway and 28 minutes from Cape Otway to King Island. The total fuel endurance was shown as 300 minutes. The pilot made no arrangements for aerodrome lighting to be illuminated for his arrival at King Island. He advised the briefing officer and the operator's representative that he was uplifting friends at King Island and took four life jackets in the aircraft with him.
- The aircraft was refuelled to capacity at 1810 hours and departed Moorabbin at 1819 hours. After departure the pilot established two-way communications with Melbourne Flight Service Unit (FSU).
- The pilot reported Cape Otway at 1900 hours and the next transmission received from the aircraft was at 1906:14 hours. The following communications between the aircraft and Melbourne FSU were recorded from this time: (Note: The word/words in brackets are open to other interpretations.)
| Time | From | Text |
|---|---|---|
| 1906:14 | VH-DSJ | MELBOURNE this is DELTA SIERRA JULIET is there any known traffic below five thousand |
| :23 | FSU | DELTA SIERRA JULIET no known traffic |
| :26 | VH-DSJ | DELTA SIERRA JULIET I am seems (to) be a large aircraft below five thousand |
| :46 | FSU | D D DELTA SIERRA JULIET what type of aircraft is it |
| :50 | VH-DSJ | DELTA SIERRA JULIET I cannot affirm it is four bright it seems to me like landing lights |
| 1907:04 | FSU | DELTA SIERRA JULIET |
| :32 | VH-DSJ | MELBOURNE this (is) DELTA SIERRA JULIET the aircraft has just passed over me at least a thousand feet above |
| :43 | FSU | DELTA SIERRA JULIET roger and it it is a large aircraft confirm |
| :47 | VH-DSJ | er unknown due to the speed it's travelling is there any airforce aircraft in the vicinity |
| :57 | FSU | DELTA SIERRA JULIET no known aircraft in the vicinity |
| 1908:18 | VH-DSJ | MELBOURNE it's approaching right now from due east towards me |
| :28 | FSU | DELTA SIERRA JULIET |
| :42 | // open microphone for two seconds // | |
| :49 | VH-DSJ | DELTA SIERRA JULIET it seems to me he's playing some sort of game he's flying over me two three times at a time at speeds I could not identify |
| 1909:02 | FSU | DELTA SIERRA JULIET roger what is your actual level |
| :06 | VH-DSJ | my level is four and a half thousand four five zero zero |
| :11 | FSU | DELTA SIERRA JULIET and confirm you cannot identify the aircraft |
| :18 | FSU | DELTA SIERRA JULIET roger standby |
| :28 | VH-DSJ | MELBOURNE DELTA SIERRA JULIET it's not an aircraft it is // open microphone for two seconds // |
| :46 | FSU | DELTA SIERRA JULIET MELBOURNE can you describe the er aircraft |
| 1909:52 | VH-DSJ | DELTA SIERRA JULIET as it's flying past it's a long shape // open microphone for three seconds // (cannot) identify more than (that it has such speed) // open microphone for 3 seconds // before me right now Melbourne |
| 1910:07 | FSU | DELTA SIERRA JULIET roger and how large would the er object be |
| :20 | VH-DSJ | DELTA SIERRA JULIET MELBOURNE it seems like it's stationary what I'm doing right now is orbiting and the thing is just orbiting on top of me also it's got a green light and sort of metallic (like) it's all shiny (on) the outside |
| :43 | FSU | DELTA SIERRA JULIET |
| :48 | VH-DSJ | DELTA SIERRA JULIET // open microphone for 5 seconds // it's just vanished |
| :57 | FSU | DELTA SIERRA JULIET |
| 1911:03 | VH-DSJ | MELBOURNE would you know what kind of aircraft I've got is it (a type) military aircraft |
| :08 | FSU | DELTA SIERRA JULIET confirm the er aircraft just vanished |
| :14 | VH-DSJ | SAY AGAIN |
| :17 | FSU | DELTA SIERRA JULIET is the aircraft still with you |
| :23 | VH-DSJ | DELTA SIERRA JULIET (it's ah nor) // open microphone for 2 seconds // (now) approaching from the southwest |
| :37 | FSU | DELTA SIERRA JULIET |
| :52 | VH-DSJ | DELTA SIERRA JULIET the engine is is rough idling I've got it set on twenty three twenty four and the thing is (coughing) |
| 1912:04 | FSU | DELTA SIERRA JULIET roger what are your intentions |
| :09 | VH-DSJ | my intentions are ah to go to King Island ah Melbourne that strange aircraft is hovering on top of me again // two seconds open microphone // it is hovering and it's not an aircraft |
| :22 | FSU | DELTA SIERRA JULIET |
| :28 | VH-DSJ | DELTA SIERRA JULIET MELBOURNE // 17 seconds open microphone // |
| :49 | FSU | DELTA SIERRA JULIET MELBOURNE |
- There is no record of any further transmissions from the aircraft.
- The weather in the Cape Otway area was clear with a trace of stratocumulus cloud at 5000 to 7000 feet, scattered cirrus cloud at 30000 feet, excellent visibility and light winds. The end of daylight at Cape Otway was at 1918 hours.
- The Alert Phase of SAR procedures was declared at 1912 hours and, at 1933 hours when the aircraft did not arrive at King Island, the Distress Phase was declared and search action was commenced. An intensive air, sea and land search was continued until 25 October 1978, but no trace of the aircraft was found.
[edit] 7. Opinion As To Cause
- The reason for the disappearance of the aircraft has not been determined.
[edit] Approved for publication
- A. R. Woodward
- Delegate of the Secretary
[edit] Date
- 27.4.1982
