MOWN lawns and unmarked power lines contributed to the death of a man in a light plane crash last year.
A single-engine Cessna clipped powerlines while attempting to land at a private airstrip at Bagshot, near Bendigo, in October 2012 before it crashed and burst into flames.
A 77-year-old man was killed at the scene while the pilot and another passenger were airlifted to hospital.
In a report released on Thursday, the Australia Transport Safety Bureau said the aircraft landing area was not clearly marked, making it difficult for the pilot to distinguish between the mown undershoot area and designated runway.
Powerlines at the start of the airstrip were also not equipped with high-visibility devices, contributing to the accident.
Under Australian regulations, private airfields are not required to have high-visibility markings on powerlines.
The experienced pilot told the watchdog he knew about the powerlines but misjudged their distance from the airstrip because the area before the runway was mown.
He said he thought the powerlines were closer to the tree line and the entire grassy area was suitable for landing the aircraft.
Safety investigators found the plane's front landing gear caught the wires, causing it to flip and crash.
They also reported the deceased man was not wearing the sash portion of his seatbelt which further contributed to fatal head and upper body trauma from impact.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau recommended all private airstrip operators to undergo risk assessments, particularly for first-time users.
