THE engine of an ultra light aircraft that crashed near Gunning on January 6, 2007, claiming the lives of Goulburn pilot John Guthrie and his passenger, Neville Smith, had suffered crankshaft failure.

In engineering findings, just announced by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, specialised technical analysis of the TL-2000 Sting Sport ultralight aircraft's crankshaft undertaken by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau revealed fatigue cracks in two separate components.

The 22-page report released last Friday, and one of a number being prepared for the Coroner by specialist bodies, said the crankshaft used in Rotax 912 engines was of a composite construction.

"The crank web between the number one and number two connecting rod journals was found fractured in two locations," the report states.

For the full story, please see Wednesday's Goulburn Post, available from our front office in Auburn St, or at all leading newsagencies across the Goulburn area.