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Queensland

Crash of a Consolidated C-87-CF Liberator Express in Whenuapai: 16 killed

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1943 at 0230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
41-24027
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Humanitarian
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Whenuapai – Brisbane
MSN:
822
YOM:
1943
Location:
Whenuapai AFB (Auckland)
Auckland Council
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
25
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Captain / Total flying hours:
17000
Captain / Total hours on type:
783.00
Circumstances:
United Airlines was performing this special flight from New Zealand to Brisbane on behalf of the US Consulate in order to rapatriate in Australia some Japanese and Thai refugees who should be swapped with US soldiers. Shortly after take off from runway 04 by night, the aircraft climbed in light rain and soft fog and went above the stratus layer when it banked left. It lost altitude, hit the ground at a speed of 200 knots, bounced twice and eventually crashed in a mangrove. On site, SAR could evacuate 16 injured persons while 14 other occupants were killed. A day later, two of the survivors died from their injuries. USAF confirmed that three of the crew and thirteen passengers were killed. All passengers were essentially women and children returnees.
Probable cause:
According to the USAF, pilots did not prepare the flight properly, did not follow the pre-departure check-list and made several mistakes during the climb procedure, causing the aircraft to adopt a wrong climb configuration. At the time of the accident, the crew members were tired as they accumulated 126 flying hours within the last 26 days, which was considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-53-CO Liberator near Biloela: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-40387
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Darwin - Brisbane
MSN:
1464
YOM:
1943
Location:
Biloela
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The four engine airplane departed Darwin Airport at 2200LT on a flight to Brisbane. It failed to arrive at destination and was declared missing. No trace of the airplane was located until 2 August 1994, when the wreckage was found by a park ranger in the Kroombit Tops National Park, some 42 km east of Biloela.
Crew:
1st Lt William E. McDaniel,
2nd Lt Jack W. Owen,
2nd Lt Hilary E. Routt,
2nd Lt Eugene A. Kilcheski,
F/O B. A. A. Cannon,
F/Lt T. J. D. Cooke,
T/Sgt Harold J. Lemons,
T/Sgt Raymond L. Tucker.

Crash of a Douglas DC-5-511 in Lurnea Siding

Date & Time: Nov 6, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-5
Operator:
Allied Directorate of Air Transport (ADAT)
Registration:
VH-CXB
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Charleville – Brisbane
MSN:
424
YOM:
1940
Location:
Lurnea
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Charleville Airport bound for Brisbane, carrying 20 US soldiers on permission and two crew. While cruising at an altitude of 6,000 feet, one of the engine failed. The crew was able to feather the propeller but could not maintain a safe altitude. The captain decided to divert to the Lurnea Siding Airstrip located some 30 miles east of Charleville. After touchdown, at a speed of 70 mph, the aircraft hit a anthill. An undercarriage was pushed through a wing and the airplane came to rest. While all 22 occupants escaped unhurt, the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder in Brisbane

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Martin B-26 Marauder
Operator:
Registration:
40-1389
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
1389
YOM:
1940
Location:
Brisbane
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown at Brisbane-Archerfield Airport, the airplane went out of control and veered off runway. It collided with the tail of a parked DC-3, went through a fence, crossed a road and struck a second fence before coming to rest. There was no injuries.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86 Express near Brisbane: 9 killed

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1942 at 0830 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
VH-USE
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Brisbane – Mount Isa – Darwin
MSN:
2309
YOM:
1935
Location:
Brisbane
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The airplane was late and departed Brisbane-Archerfield with two hours delay. Few minutes after takeoff, it entered an area of clouds with heavy rain falls. It entered an uncontrolled descent, spiraled to the ground and crashed in a wooded area located in Belmont (Mount Petrie), some 13 km south of Archerfield Airport. All nine occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Charles Henry Cecil Swaffield,
C/O Lindsay Stuart Marshall.
Photo: www.ozatwar.com
Probable cause:
Three quarters of the fin had been found quite some distance from the main wreckage of the aircraft. Nevertheless, the subsequent official inquiry into the loss was inconclusive.

Ground fire of a De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide in Sydney

Date & Time: May 12, 1937
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UVS
Flight Phase:
Parking
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Sydney – Brisbane
MSN:
6265
YOM:
1934
Location:
Sydney-Kingsford Smith
New South Wales
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
All seven occupants (five passengers and both crew members) were on board and ready for departure on a flight to Brisbane. When the pilot started the engines, one of them exploded and the fire quickly spread to the rest of the structure. All seven occupants were able to evacuate and four were injured, among them the captain. The aircraft was totally destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Engine fire at start up.

Crash of a Stinson Model A in McPherson Range: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1937 at 1350 LT
Type of aircraft:
Stinson Model A
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UHH
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Brisbane – Lismore – Sydney
MSN:
9126
YOM:
1936
Location:
McPherson Range
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The three engine aircraft named 'City of Brisbane' was performing a regular schedule flight from Brisbane to Sydney with an intermediate stop in Lismore. Some 40 minutes after takeoff from Brisbane-Archerfield Airport, while cruising in marginal weather conditions over the McPherson Range, the aircraft hit tree tops and crashed in a dense wooded area. Both crewmen and two passengers were killed while three passengers survived. They walked away to find help but one of them (James Westray) died when he fall down a ravine. Eventually, on March 1st, 1937, the two last survivors (John Proud and Joseph Binstead) met Bernard O'Reilly, a bushman, and were rescued.
Crew:
Rex Boyden, pilot, †
Beverley Shepherd, copilot. †
Passengers:
R. Graham, †
W. Fountain, †
James Westray, †
John Proud,
Joseph Binstead.
Probable cause:
Prior to the accident, VH-UHH was being flown at a low altitude and under the cloud level, its pilot apparently trying to maintain visual contact with the ground, and the crash occurred when it encountered winds of up to 60 knots, which created a strong down drafts that exceeded its ability to climb.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.50A in Capella

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1936
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.50
Operator:
Rockhampton Aerial Services
Registration:
VH-UFW
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Rockhampton – Brisbane
MSN:
2
YOM:
1928
Location:
Capella
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 4,000 feet, the engine failed. The pilot recovered from a spin and completed an emergency landing near Capella, Queensland. The pilot was uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86 Express in Ilfracombe: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1934 at 0547 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
VH-USG
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Delivery
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
London – Singapore – Darwin – Longreach – Brisbane – Sydney
MSN:
2311
YOM:
1934
Location:
Ilfracombe
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Longreach Airport at 0530LT bound for Brisbane with a crew of two and two passengers on board. Less than 20 minutes later, while flying at a height of some 1,000 feet, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a prairie. Quickly on the scene, local residents were able to evacuate the captain who was seriously injured while all three others occupants were killed. Unfortunately, the captain died from his injuries few hours later. Weather conditions were excellent at the time of the accident and the crew was performing a delivery flight from London when the accident occurred. The aircraft was named 'Adelaide'.
Crew:
R. A. Prendergast, pilot,
W. C. Creastes, copilot.
Passengers:
F. R. Charlton, engineer by Imperial Airways,
E. H. Broadfoot, serviceman by Shell Company at Sydney-Mascot Airport.
Probable cause:
Investigators expressed concern at apparent defects in the forward pin post, posing the question that a failure in that component apparently caused the loss of control. Further investigation revealed that VH-USG had been loaded with a spare engine in the rear of the cabin, and that one of the crew members was in the lavatory in the extreme aft of the cabin when control was lost. It was theorized that the aft center of gravity condition that thus existed resulted in a loss-of-control at an altitude insufficient for recovery (the aircraft was at an estimated height of 1,000 ft (300 m) prior to the crash.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth in Byron Bay: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 18, 1932 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UPM
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Sydney – Lismore – Brisbane
MSN:
2052
YOM:
1930
Location:
Byron Bay
New South Wales
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While cruising at a height of 100 feet over the Burringbar Mountain Range, the pilot encountered strong winds and turbulences. He initiated a turn to the right when the left wing and the rudder detached. Out of control, the aircraft crashed and was destroyed. All three occupants were killed.
Crew:
Ralph Virtue, pilot.
Passengers:
Les Holden,
Dr. George R. Hamilton.
Probable cause:
Strong drafts exceeded the design of the left wing and the rudder that failed in flight.
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