Laverton AFB (Melbourne)

The Beechcraft Queen Air and Rockwell Aero Commander were being used by a company to conduct private category passenger-carrying flights to transport its workers from Leonora to Laverton in Western Australia. The Aero Commander had departed and was established in the Leonora circuit area when the Queen Air took off. The pilot and one of the passengers of the Queen Air reported the take-off roll appeared normal until the aircraft crossed the runway intersection, when they felt a bump in the aircraft. The pilot reported hearing a loud bang and noticed that the inboard cowl of the right engine had opened. He also reported that he believed he had insufficient runway remaining to stop safely, so he continued the takeoff. The cowl separated from the aircraft at the time, or just after the pilot rotated the aircraft to the take-off attitude. He reported that although the aircraft had left the ground after the rotation, it then would not climb. The aircraft remained at almost treetop level until the pilot and front-seat passenger noticed the side of a tailings dump immediately in front of the aircraft. The pilot said that he pulled the control column fully back. The aircraft hit the hillside parallel to the slope of the embankment, with little forward speed. The impact destroyed the aircraft. Although the occupants sustained serious injuries, they evacuated the aircraft without external assistance. There was no post-impact fire. The aircraft-mounted emergency locator transmitter (ELT) did not activate.

During a training sortie in Laverton AFB, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and made an emergency landing in a field located one mile north of the airbase. Both occupants were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The aircraft departed Laverton at 1415LT for Amberley. Aeradio position reports were received normally through out the flight, until 1734LT, when clearance was obtained to descend from 8000 feet preparatory to the landing at Amberley. A short time later Amberley Flight Control cleared the aircraft for a straight-in approach RWY 05 at an angle of 45 degrees, turn right to align itself with the runway and commence to lose height on the approach - which appeared to be lower and faster that usual. The aircraft touched down in a tail high attitude, approximately 300 feet after crossing the threshold. After travelling a short distance, the aircraft then left the ground, rising to about five feet. From eyewitness reports, attempts were then made by the crew to force the aircraft onto the runway but this only resulted in three more bounces. When about 600 feet from the upwind end of the runway, engine power was applied to make a go around. It is estimated by ground observers that, by this stage, the airspeed of the Lincoln had decreased to approximately 80-85 knots. The Lincoln was then seen to climb slightly, level out at 100 feet, after which the nose of the aircraft rose sharply to place the aircraft in a climbing attitude of 40 degrees. After a further few seconds, the attitude changed abruptly to a climb of 80 degrees. With all engines roaring presumably under full power, the aircraft attained an altitude of approximately 500 feet AGL when, with no forward speed, the port wing slowly dropped and the aircraft steadily accelerated until the port main plane struck the ground in a vertical position. By this time the fuselage was parallel with the ground. The aircraft caught fire immediately and, although the fire tender arrived shortly after the crash, the fire could not be sufficiently controlled to extricate the crew or passengers. The crash site was 400 yards from the end of RWY 05 and displaced approximately 100 yards left of the runway.
Source: http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/

The three-engine aircraft was recently transferred to Laverton Airport for repairs, following technical problems on the central engine. The pilot P/O Peter Lavarack decided to perform a test flight and started the take off run with only left and right engine running. Unfortunately, the aircraft veered off runway and collided with the visiting Minister of Air's car. While the pilot was unhurt, both car and aircraft were damaged beyond repair.

The crew was returning to Laverton AFB following a reconnaissance flight off the Australian coast to trace submarine. En route, the twin engine aircraft went out of fuel and the pilot ordered his crew to bail out. While attempting an emergency landing, he lost control of the aircraft that crashed in flames in a field located 8 miles west of Tantanoola. While the pilot F/O Baxter Watson was killed, both other crew members were unhurt. Crew from the 2nd Air Observation School.

Shortly after take off from Laverton AFB, in initial climb, the left engine failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed in flames. All five crew members were injured, two of them seriously. The aircraft was destroyed.
Crew:
P/O H. C. McDonald,
Sgt B. R. Coulter,
Sgt J. H. Brocks,
Sgt R. G. Curtis.
Passenger:
S/Sgt D. M. Cowan.

Shortly after take off from Whenuapai AFB, in Auckland, while in initial climb by night, the four engine aircraft christened 'Texas Tornado' stalled and crashed in a huge explosion. All eleven occupants were killed, among them an officer of the US Navy and an officer of the French Navy. The aircraft was on its way to RAAF Laverton, in Melbourne.
Crew (2nd Bomb Squadron):
Col Richard E. Cobb, pilot,
Cpt Joseph Bruce, copilot,
2nd Lt Edward H. Hoffman, navigator,
T/Sgt C. P. Brunson, wireless operator,
T/Sgt J. F. Lopez, flight engineer,
Sgt Harry Cohn, air gunner,
Cpl James Herriotts, air gunner,
Cpl John R. Clanton, air gunner,
Pvt Curtis L. Childers, air gunner.
Passengers:
Lt William E. Hurst, US Navy,
Cpt J. C. A. Gilbert, French Navy.

The crew was performing a training flight following recent modification on the communication systems. While returning to his base at Laverton, the crew encountered poor visibility due to fog and reduced his altitude to maintain a visual contact with the ground when the aircraft impacted the water surface and crashed into the Port Phillip Bay off Elwood, south of Melbourne. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Ronald Davies,
Cpl Gordon Peake,
AC1 John Quinn.

The crew (two student pilots and one instructor) were conducting a local training mission out from RAAF Laverton in Melbourne. On final approach, while completing a last turn at low height to join the runway, the aircraft impacted the ground with one of its wing, cartwheeled and crashed. All three occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Crew:
F/O D. McLean, pilot,
A.C. McLean, wireless operator,
LAC G. A. Everingham.

The crew was performing a local training mission out from RAAF Laverton. On final approach, the aircraft crashed in a field two miles from the airport. Both crew members were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.