The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has released its preliminary report into the serious accident involving aerobatic aircraft Wolf Pitts S1-11X VH-PVX during the Avalon Australian International Airshow in Victoria on 28 March 2025. The investigation remains ongoing, however the preliminary findings provide important early detail about the manoeuvre being flown, the altitude recorded in the cockpit video, and the aircraft’s condition prior to impact.
What happened at Avalon
The ATSB states that the aircraft collided with terrain during an aerobatic display at Avalon Airport. The pilot sustained serious injuries and the aircraft was destroyed. The preliminary report emphasises that it is an early factual release and does not contain analysis or final conclusions.
The manoeuvre: “triple avalanche”
A key element of the report is video evidence recovered from a forward-facing cockpit GoPro, which captured the beginning of the manoeuvre flown immediately before the accident. The ATSB describes it as a “triple avalanche”, involving a looping manoeuvre with three snap rolls at the top of the loop.
In the preliminary report, the ATSB includes a diagram illustrating the intended manoeuvre profile and the approximate stage where the cockpit recording still image was captured.
A critical detail: the altitude at the start of the sequence
One of the most significant factual findings relates to altitude. The still image extracted from the cockpit footage shows the aircraft’s altimeter indicating approximately 100 feet above runway height just prior to the first snap roll.
The ATSB notes that during earlier training flights, the pilot had commenced the same manoeuvre at approximately 200 feet above ground level.
While the aircraft was reportedly able to complete the snap rolls and return to stable flight while inverted, it then entered the second half of the loop. The ATSB found the descent rate could not be arrested before impact.
Early engineering inspection: no control or airframe issues identified so far
The preliminary findings also include an important early engineering outcome. Investigators reported that after the aircraft wreckage was moved to a secure hangar, a detailed examination of the aircraft found—so far as could be determined—no evidence of control or airframe issues prior to the collision.
The ATSB has stated the investigation remains ongoing and that a final report will present any conclusions and safety recommendations.
Why this matters for display aviation
Aerobatic display flying is inherently high risk, and the margin for recovery narrows dramatically at very low altitude. While the ATSB has not reached conclusions, the preliminary report highlights how small differences in height, timing and energy management can have irreversible outcomes in a matter of seconds.
The Australian aviation community will now wait for the ATSB’s final report, which will be closely examined for safety learnings relevant to future airshow operations in Australia.
Sources
ATSB – Media release: ATSB releases preliminary report into Avalon Airshow accident
ATSB – Preliminary report PDF: Collision with terrain involving Pitts S1-11X, VH-PVX, Avalon Airport, Victoria, on 28 March 2025