The GAF Nomad N.24A transport plane was destroyed in an accident near Mallala, SA, Australia. The pilot was killed. The tail plane broke off in flight and the aircraft crashed. The aircraft was allocated by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) to the Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU). After being manufactured in 1982, the airplane was used by GAF (renamed Aerospace Technologies of Australia – ASTA in 1987) for testing. Amongst others, service records indicated 177 hours of single engine ground running. This meant that the airplane was subjected to many high frequency asymmetric cycles. Cracks initiated and grew predominately due to torsional loading. Upon delivery to the RAAF, the airplane was inspected but this failed to detect significant cracking. The tailplane centre section failed in flight, 19 hours after the inspection.