Cairns

The seaplane departed Cairns at 1505LT on April 7 on an anti-submarine patrol flight off the Australian coast. The following night, the captain declared an emergency and reported a fire on board. SAR operations were conducted over the Gulf of Carpentaria and only a fuel leak was found on the water surface. No trace of the airplane nor the crew was ever found.
Crew (11th Squadron):
F/Lt Clement William Haydon, pilot,
Sgt Lawrence Neild Oppy, pilot,
F/O Leopold Albert Elkington, pilot,
Cpl Noel Clifford Marshall, flight engineer,
Cpl Malcolm James Mutton, flight engineer,
F/O John Goulburn Lancaster, navigator,
F/O James David Fisk, navigator,
F/Sgt Leonard George Adamson, wireless operator,
Sgt Derek Alan Wray, wireless operator,
Lac James Augustus Scott, rigger,
Cpl William Ivan Myers, armourer.

Few minutes after takeoff from Cairns, the twin engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in a dense wooded area located near the Cascade Falls, at the upper end of Redlynch Valley to the West of Cairns. Over the next three days, search aircraft could not find any sign of the wreckage in the thick jungle. Meanwhile, 11th Brigade had dispatched a large 200-man ground search party on March 8 and they located the wreck site on 10th March 3 km above Cascade Falls. The search party only found three bodies in the wreckage, so a new search was launched for the missing men. On the morning of 11th March searchers found Lt Col Cardale seriously injured and later that same day found Ac1 Appleby equally seriously injured near Freshwater Creek.
Crew:
Sgt Lindsay James Sutherland McColl, pilot, †
Ac1 Ronald Henry Appleby.
Passengers:
Br John Wilson Crawford, †
Lt Col Phillip Heathcote George Cardale,
Lt Arthur William Morris. †

The Catalina was returning to base following an anti-submarine escort for a convoy in the Coral Sea bound for Milne Bay. While cruising over the region of Green Island, off Cairns, the seaplane crashed into the sea and sank. All 11 crew members were killed.
Crew (11th Squadron):
W/Cdr John William Daniell, pilot,
Sgt Norman Notley Moore, pilot,
S/L Eric Hamilton Barkley, copilot,
F/O Lewis Melvin Dunham, observer,
F/O Stuart Patrick King,
Sgt Keith Arnold Watson, flight engineer,
Cpl John Corbett Stain, flight engineer,
Sgt Allen Richard Eather, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Alexander Eric John Elsbury, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt John Daniel O’Grady, rigger,
Cpl Douglas Griffen Shaw Russell, armourer.

The crew was engaged in a test flight to control a new flare dropping mechanism. En route, a failure occurred on the mechanism, causing flares to explode inside the cabin. Out of control, the airplane crashed into the sea a mile off Cairns. All 11 occupants were killed.
Crew (19th BG):
Maj Dean C. Hoevet, pilot,
Sgt Coy Adams,
T/Sgt Stephen A. Androkovich,
2nd Lt William T. Chesser,
1st Lt Paul M. Lindsay,
T/Sgt Hermon T. Randall,
2nd Lt Arthur F. Sorrell,
2nd Lt Maxwell D. Stone,
1st Lt George W. Hammersmith,
S/Sgt Bernard Merker,
T/Sgt Ralph Tarod.

The airplane departed Horn Island on a flight to Cairns, carrying three passengers and one pilot. While cruising along the east coast of Queensland, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in the Orford Bay, some 95 km southeast of Horn Island. SAR operations were initiated and the wreckage was found three days later. All four occupants were injured and transported to local hospital.

Shortly after takeoff from Cairns Airport, while climbing, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed in a mangrove. Both crew members were killed. They were performing a positioning flight to Wau to evacuate refugees.

Shortly after take off from Wenlock Airport, while in initial climb, the left engine caught fire. The pilot Stewart G. Hack initiated a turn to the left to return for an emergency landing. On approach, the airplane stalled and crashed in a field, bursting into flames. All five occupants escaped uninjured and the airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire.

Crashed for unknown reasons upon landing at Cairns Airport. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and there were no casualties.

While approaching Cairns, the engine failed. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in a swampy area. The pilot was uninjured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Shortly after takeoff from Cairns Airport, while climbing, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed 3 km from the airport. All four occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.