Bass Strait

On 17 July 1983 the pilot of Rockwell (Aero Commander) 685 aircraft VH-WJC submitted a flight plan to the Hobart Briefing Office for a private category flight from Hobart to Moorabbin, tracking via Launceston and Wonthaggi. The plan indicated that the flight would be conducted under the Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) at Flight Level 120 (12 000 feet altitude on standard atmospheric pressure of 1013.2 millibars), with two persons on board. The flight plan showed that the aircraft had a fuel endurance of 220 minutes, and carried an Emergency Locator Beacon (ELB) and life jackets. There was no indication that a life raft was carried. The aircraft departed Hobart at 1352 hours and, thereafter, the pilot made the appropriate radio reports to Hobart Tower, Launceston Control and Launceston Tower. The flight apparently progressed normally until 1452 hours when the pilot advised Launceston Control, "Er Whiskey Juliet Charlie we seem to have been in trouble with er fuel here the red er warning light comes on and the gauge is down . . .".At 1454 hours the pilot transmitted a Mayday call, indicating that he was descending from Flight Level 120 on track to Bass (a position reporting point), present position was 85 nautical miles (nm) from Launceston and he would be making a controlled ditching. Launceston Control immediately initiated the Distress phase of the Search and Rescue procedures and advised the Melbourne Operational Control Centre (OCC). Further communications between the aircraft and Launceston Control indicated that the aircraft was continuing descent on track towards Wonthaggi. The last position report from the pilot, at 1500 hours, was 94 nm from Wonthaggi. The last recorded transmission from the aircraft was at 1501 hours when the pilot confirmed that there were two persons on board. There were no indications at any time from the pilot that the fuel supply had been exhausted or that either engine had failed. It was estimated that the aircraft ditched at about 1505 hours, at an approximate position of 81 nm from Wonthaggi on the planned track. No trace of the aircraft nor both occupants was found.

The aircraft took off at 1944LT to carry out practice DR9. This practice was a night flight from Base-Flinders-Currie-Hogan Group-Base. The aircraft was on wireless silence and failed to return. The maximum endurance of the aircraft was 7 hours. The aircraft failed to return and all searches have proved negative.
Crew:
P/O John James Bowman, pilot,
P/O Alan Joseph Malone, navigator,
P/O Harry Robert Alfred Guymer, wireless operator and air gunner,
P/O Alexander Frederick McDonald, wireless operator and air gunner,
P/O John Alexander Buchanan, air gunner.
Source: http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/

The aircraft christened 'Marika' was performing a schedule flight from Melbourne to the Flinders Island. En route, while cruising over the Bass Strait, an engine failed. The pilot attempted to ditch the aircraft that crashed into the sea and was lost. SAR operations were suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the occupant was found. An engine was eventually found fifty years later.

While overflying Bass Strait, the four engine aircraft named 'Miss Hobart' crashed in unknown circumstances some 16 km off the coast of the Wilsons Promontory National Park. SAR teams found some debris and oil leak at the surface of the water a day later but no trace of the 11 occupants was ever found.
Crew:
Cpt Victor C. Holyman, pilot and cofounder of the airliner,
Cpt Gilbert Jenkins.