Daly Waters | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Crashed one minute after its takeoff from Daly Waters while performing a delivery flight to Alice Springs with two crew and two ladies as passengers on board. After takeoff, during the initial climb, while at an altitude of 150 feet, both engines failed simultaneously. The captain elected to make an emergency landing in a prairie but at the last moment, the left engine regained power. The aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames. All four occupants were injured while the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DL near Rewan: 19 killed

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1943 at 1500 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

42-23420

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Batchelor – Gorrie – Daly Waters – Cloncurry – Brisbane

MSN:

9451

YOM:

1943

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Circumstances:

The aircraft christened 'Pushy Cat' left Batchelor Airfield in the Northern Territory at 0730LT bound for Archerfield Airport in Brisbane with intermediate stops in Gorrie, Daly Waters and Cloncurry. The aircraft was unable to land at Gorrie because the airfield was out of order, so the crew landed at Daly Waters where additional passengers were picked up. The aircraft arrived in Cloncurry at 1245LT where three more Australian soldiers boarded the aircraft. En route from Cloncurry to Brisbane, the aircraft went through a thunderstorm area, broke up in mid-air and crashed in the Carnarvon canyon located southwest of Rewan. The wreckage was found two days later and all 19 occupants were killed.
Crew (21st Transport Group:
2nd Lt Raymond E. Anglin, pilot,
2nd Lt Joseph W. Kennedy, copilot,
Sgt Frank J. Ropinski, flight engineer,
Sgt Harold L. Baumstein, radio operator.
Passengers:
Sgt Robert L. Adkins,
F/Lt Roy Edgar Abbot,
F/Lt Albert Ernest Watkin,
Sgt Ronald Keith Pitchford,
Cpl William Brady,
Cpl Francis Paul Morris,
LAC John Given Maxwell,
LAC Stanley Kirk Sims,
Lt Harley Horace Lockie,
Lt Ross Rowsell,
Sgt Victor Frederick Bishop,
Sgt Thomas William Davey,
Sgt William Joseph Parker,
Pvt William Howard Dorman,
Pvt Andrew Henry Mildren.

Probable cause:

Heavy turbulence in a low-pressure area caused excessive forces on the structure of the aircraft that broke in mid-air and crashed.

Crash of a Douglas C-39 in Alice Springs: 9 killed

Date & Time: May 25, 1942 at 0357 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-39 (DC-2)

Operator:

Registration:

38-505

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Alice Springs – Daly Waters – Batchelor

MSN:

2062

YOM:

1939

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Circumstances:

Due to poor weather conditions, the captain decided to postpone the departure for more than three hours. Two minutes after take off, while climbing by night, the aircraft stalled and crashed in flames in a desert area located few hundred yards from the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and post crash fire, and all nine occupants were killed.
Crew (21st Troop Carrier Squadron):
2nd Lt Russell L. Callison,
2nd Lt William A. O'Neill,
Pvt Martin J. Law,
Pvt Rolfe M. Smith.
Passengers:
2nd Lt Aubrey Lawless Tobias,
F/Lt Duncan Matheson,
LAC James Emmanuel Skillen 2.

Probable cause:

It appears the total weight of the aircraft was 2,762 pounds above the MTOW at the time of the accident.

Crash of a Lockheed 14-WF62 Super Electra near Katherine

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed 14 Super Electra

Operator:

Registration:

PK-AFM

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Brisbane – Daly Waters – Batchelor

MSN:

1411

YOM:

1938

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed Brisbane on a flight to Batchelor with an intermediate stop in Daly Waters, carrying 10 US soldiers and two crew members. As it failed to arrive in Batchelor, SAR operations were initiated. Four days later, the crew of a KNILM's DC-3 (PK-ALT) overflew the crash site and spotted the wreckage. As all occupants seemed to have survived, foods and water were dropped over the area. Two days later, a truck arrived on site and all 12 occupants were evacuated safely.

Probable cause:

According to the crew, they lost their orientation while on a night flight and were unable to locate the airport of Batchelor. Eventually, the Captain attempted an emergency landing but after touchdown, the airplane hit trees and both wings were torn off.

Crash of a Boeing B-17D Flying Fortress in Daly Waters: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Operator:

Registration:

40-3079

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Batchelor – Daly Waters

MSN:

2107

YOM:

1940

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Circumstances:

Approaching Daly Water Airfield on a flight from Batchelor, both left engines failed. As the crew was unable to feather the propellers, the airplane lost height then stalled and crashed in an open field. Five crewmen were injured and a sixth was killed.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure and propeller could not be feathered.