October 7 2005
A two-seat Robinson R22 helicopter flying at night impacted the ground "nose first" about 250km north-east of Broken Hill between White Cliffs and Tibooburra around 1930 hrs local
 
Apparently the 66-year-old pilot became disorientated and "had called a nearby homestead to put on their lights to help him find his way"
 
The pilot was thrown from the machine and died at the scene - his 42-year-old passenger survived with leg and abdominal injuries

October 4 2005
69-year-old crop-duster pilot Fred Clipperton with 30,000 hours and more than 40 years' flying experience had his radial-engine Weatherly crop-duster catch fire shortly after take-off from the Bunnaloo airstrip at Deniliquin in NSW's south-west
 
Witness reports had Fred "flying blind" from the effects of three-metre "the whole lot was on fire bar his tail wing" flames that engulfed his machine
 
He landed successfully relying on instinct and local knowledge receiving only minor burns on exit