Avro 618 Ten | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The three engine aircraft was returning to Sydney-Mascot following a sightseeing flight over the city of Sydney. On final approach, the aircraft was caught by strong winds and hit the ground short of runway. All eight occupants were uninjured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Caught by strong winds on final approach.

Crash of an Avro 618 Ten in Newcastle

Date & Time: Nov 28, 1935

Type of aircraft:

Avro 618 Ten

Operator:

Registration:

VH-UMH

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

229

YOM:

1929

Location:

Williamtown (Newcastle)

New South Wales

Country:

Australia

Region:

Oceania

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Upon landing at Williamstown Airport (Newcastle), an undercarriage failed. The aircraft named 'City of Grafton' went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. All eight occupants evacuated safely and the three engine aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Undercarriage failure upon landing.

Crash of an Avro 618 Ten in Ruiselede: 10 killed

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1933 at 1315 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 618 Ten

Operator:

Registration:

G-ABLU

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Cologne - Brussels - Croydon

MSN:

528

YOM:

1931

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing an international schedule service from Cologne to Croydon with an intermediate stop in Brussels. The aircraft departed Brussels-Haren Airport at 1220LT with eight passengers and two crew members on board. While overflying the West Flanders, the crew encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. Apparently lost, the crew deviated from the prescribed flight path by 15 km when the captain decided to reduce his altitude to establish a visual contact with the ground. At a height of about 250 feet, the airplane collided with a 270 metres high radio antenna. Upon impact, the right wing was torn off and the airplane crashed in an open field, bursting into flames. All 10 occupants were killed, among them seven British, two Dutch and one Polish.

Crash of an Avro 618 Ten in Alor Setar

Date & Time: Nov 26, 1931

Type of aircraft:

Avro 618 Ten

Operator:

Registration:

VH-UNA

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Postal (mail)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Hobart – Sydney – Alor Setar – London

MSN:

388

YOM:

1930

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff, the three engine airplane encountered difficulties to gain height. It stalled and crashed in a rice paddy field located past the runway end. All four occupants escaped with minor injuries and the airplane named 'Southern Sun' was damaged beyond repair. It departed Hobart and a mail flight to London with intermediate stops in Sydney and Alor Setar, carrying a load consisting of 52,000 Christmas' letters for a total weight of 1,500 kilos.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be established. However, the takeoff roll has been completed from a terrain whose surface was soaked by recent rains. So, the performances of the aircraft may have been reduced until the rotation. A power loss of the center engine was also suspected.

Crash of an Avro 618 Ten in the Snowy Mountains: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 21, 1931 at 1315 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 618 Ten

Operator:

Registration:

VH-UMF

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Sydney – Melbourne

MSN:

241

YOM:

1929

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The three engine aircraft departed Sydney at 0810LT bound for Melbourne. En route, the crew encountered strong unfavorable winds and the weather conditions worsened with poor visibility. The aircraft named 'Southern Cloud' hit the slope of a mountain located in the Snowy Mountains, in the Kosciuszko National Park, west of Jindabyne. SAR were initiated but no trace of the aircraft nor the eight occupants were found, so all operations were eventually suspended. On 26 October 1958, more than 27 years later, Tom Sonter, a man aged 22, found the wreckage while on a walk in the bush. The crash occurred in a very inaccessible area.
Crew:
Travis W. Shortridge, pilot,
Charles I. Dunnell, copilot.
Passengers:
Elsie May Glasgow,
Clyde C. Hood,
Hubert A. Farall,
Julian Margules,
William O’Reilly,
Claire Stokes.

Probable cause:

The aircraft deviated from the prescribed flight path due to unfavorable winds. The crew failed to see and avoid the mountain due to low visibility and poor weather conditions.