Country
code

Western Australia

Crash of a De Havilland DH.84A Dragon II off Cliff Head

Date & Time: Jun 14, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A34-1
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Perth - Geraldton
MSN:
6081
YOM:
1934
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Perth on a flight to Geraldton with three passengers and a crew of two on board. While cruising along the shore, the right engine failed. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude and was forced to ditch the airplane off Cliff Head, some 32 km south of Dongara. The airplane came to rest upside down in four feet of water and was damaged beyond repair. All five occupants suffered minor injuries.
Crew:
F/Lt P. C. Burdeu, pilot,
P/O R. V. Umphelby, wireless operator.
Passengers:
Cpt Ernest Gipps Knox-Knight,
W/Cdr Towers,
F/O Clifford.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60G Moth off Geraldton

Date & Time: May 10, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A7-42
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Geraldton - Geraldton
MSN:
1128
YOM:
1929
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed for unknown reasons into the sea some 5 km off Geraldton. Both crew members were rescued. The airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina off Geraldton

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
2409
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
225
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The seaplane landed hard off Geraldton, took water and was later brought to the shore where it struck rocks and was damaged beyond repair. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was heavy loaded (some 30,000 pounds). All seven crew members were unhurt.
Probable cause:
Heavy landing.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-194B near Carnot Peak: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 3, 1942 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PK-AFV
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Jakarta – Kupang – Darwin – Wyndham – Broome – Port Hedland – Perth
MSN:
1965
YOM:
1937
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
En route to Broome, the airplane was shot down by a Japanese fighter (Mitsubishi Zero). The crew reduced his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing in a field located near Carnot Peak, west of Beagle Bay. Three passengers and a crew member were killed while eight other occupants were rescued.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.84A Dragon I in Wyndham

Date & Time: Mar 3, 1942 at 1000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A34-9
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Darwin - Wyndham - Perth
MSN:
6045
YOM:
1933
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Darwin on a special flight to Perth, carrying evacuees, and a stop was scheduled at Wyndham Airport. Upon landing at Wyndham Airfield, the airplane was attacked by a Japanese fighter. All six occupants evacuated the airplane and were slightly injured. The airplane continued on down the runway now ablaze from the strafing and came to a stop, bursting into flames.
Crew:
F/Lt Warwick, pilot.
Probable cause:
Attacked by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24A-CO Liberator off Broome: 20 killed

Date & Time: Mar 3, 1942 at 0923 LT
Operator:
Registration:
40-2374
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Broome – Kupang
MSN:
6
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
20
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Broome Airport, while climbing at a height of some 600 feet, the four engine airplane was shot down by a Japanese fighter and crashed into the Bay of Broome, 10 km offshore. Upon impact, the airplane broke in two, both wings separated and the fuselage sank within three minutes. Two passengers (Sgt Donoho and Sgt Beatty) were able to swim to shore and were rescued. Unfortunately, Sgt Beatty died the next day from injuries sustained. Thus Sgt Donoho was the only survivor. All passengers were US soldiers joining their base in Indonesia.
Crew:
Maj Edson Eugene Kester, pilot,
Cpt William Ragsdale Jr., copilot.
Passengers:
Sgt Melvin O. Donoho,
Sgt Willard J. Beatty,
Cpt Charles A. Stafford,
Keats Poad,
2nd Lt Richard L. Taylor,
S/Sgt Howard C. Cliff,
S/Sgt John M. Rex,
S/Sgt Elvin P. Westcott,
Sgt Samuel F. Foster,
Cpl Jack T. Taylor,
Pvt Richard G. Sheetz,
2nd Lt Howard K. Petschel,
Cpt Charles A. Stafford,
Cpt Harry W. Markey,
Pvt Joseph N. Gordon,
Pfc Nicholas D. Bunardzya,
Pvt Clarence B. Johnson,
S/Sgt Leo D. Steinmetz,
Cpl Hubert McDonald.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Douglas C-53-DO Skytrooper near Mungalalu-Truscott AFB

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
41-20066
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Perth – Broome – Darwin
MSN:
4836
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Perth to Darwin with an intermediate stop in Broome. At night, the crew overflew Broome as he was unable to locate the airport. He continued to the northeast until the fuel tanks were empty. Due to a fuel exhaustion, the captain attempted an emergency landing in a field located 10 km southwest of Mungalalu-Truscott AFB, some 383 miles northeast of Broome. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and abandoned on site, and all six occupants were rescued few days later.
Crew:
2nd Lt Ray Van Diver, pilot,
Mel Lewis, copilot,
Sgt Buck Lambert, flight engineer,
Cpl Mal Scharp, radio operator.
Passengers:
David Campbell,
Jack Lyons.
Photos: http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/c-53/41-20066.html
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.84 Dragon 2 in Broome

Date & Time: Jan 7, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UVN
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Broome – Perth
MSN:
6106
YOM:
1936
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Broome Airport, while climbing, one of the engine failed. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in a field located 5 km south of the airport, bursting into flames. All four occupants escaped with minor injuries.
Probable cause:
Engine failure after takeoff.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I in Broome

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-83
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
414-1937
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed and burned on take off at Broome Airport. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire while all four occupants were unhurt.
Crew (13th Squadron):
F/L J. Sharp +3.
Probable cause:
Braking binding.

Crash of a Simmonds Spartan Gipsy II in Mundaring Weir

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VH-URB
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Perth – Adelaide
MSN:
63
YOM:
1932
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While overflying a hilly and wooded area, the pilot encountered downdraft and was unable to maintain control of the aircraft that crashed in a wooded area. Both occupants were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Loss of control due to severe downdraft.