On 13 July 1972, a Piper PA3I-3K aircraft was engaged to operate a charter flight for a mining company was en route from Adelaide to Moomba with a pilot and seven passengers on board. 14 miles from Adelaide, the radar ceased to register the flight on the display screen.

Witnesses in the Golden Grove area, 13 miles north-east of Adelaide, heard the sound of an approaching aircraft but could not initially see it due to low cloud. Some witnesses saw the aircraft emerge from the base of the cloud or observed it on a descending flight path immediately before it struck the ground. The aircraft disintegrated on impact. All eight on board the flight were killed.