Zone
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 Douglas C-47-DL in Brisbane: 23 killed

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1943 at 0512 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
A65-2
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Brisbane – Sydney
MSN:
6149
YOM:
1942
Location:
Brisbane
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Captain / Total flying hours:
121
Circumstances:
One minute after take off from Brisbane-Archerfield Airport by night, while in initial climb, the aircraft entered a patch of fog, banked to the left up to vertical position and crashed in a wooded area located 1 mile south of the airport. All 23 occupants were killed. The aircraft had also the civil registration VH-CTB.
Crew:
F/O Alexander Ken Arnold, pilot,
Sgt Joseph Hammond, copilot,
LAC Samuel Ivan Wiles, fitter,
Sgt Lyle Carter Morgan, wireless operator.
Passengers:
Sgt John Atherton,
LAC Thomas William Beckley,
P/O David Andrew Blackley,
LAC John Edward Chinner,
Sgt Robert William Tylden Chisholm,
LAC Kevin Francis Flanagan,
LAC Charles Paton Eric Fly,
Cpl Violet May Gunning,
Maj E. H. Halliwell, US Army,
Cpl Ruth Ada Hills,
Acw Florence May Jackson,
Sgt Max Irvenia Thomas Jarvis,
LAC Terrence Joseph Kelly,
LAC Kenneth Owen Paton,
1st Lt F. M. Skinner, US Army,
Lt Irwin Leo Smith,
P/O Alfred Tatlock,
LAC Geoffrey Frederick Waters,
Cpl Thomas Keith McDowell Watt.
Source: http://www.adf-gallery.com.au & Grahame Higgs
Probable cause:
At the time of the accident there was much speculation about the loss of an engine, although the investigation team could find no evidence of any unserviceability with any of the aircraft systems. Ultimately the investigation in 1943 cited error of judgement and poor technique on the part of the pilot as the cause. Hopefully today we would not be so damning. Final verdicts of pilot error are not acceptable anymore. Pilots do not set out to crash airplanes so what happened to cause this crew to err. In this case it could be a case of Spatial Disorientation, or as Bob Livingstone has suggested, caged Gyros, both of which can lead rapidly to loss of control. In his defense, F/O Arnold had only 121 hours on type of which a mere 14 hours were as captain.

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 aircraft left Charleville Airport bound for Brisbane with 20 US soldiers and two crew on board. While cruising at a height 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 to attempt an emergency landing. After touchdown, at a speed of 70 mph, the aircraft hit a anthill. An undercarriage was pushed through a wing and the aircraft came to rest. While all 22 occupants were unhurt, the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Lockheed 18 LodeStar in Brisbane

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 18 LodeStar
Operator:
Registration:
VH-CAE
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
2110
YOM:
1941
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:
Crashed on landing at Brisbane-Archerfield Airport, while performing a flight on behalf of the RAAF. No casualties.

Crash of a Lockheed 14-WF62 Super Electra near Pine Creek: 12 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1942 at 2130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 14 Super Electra
Operator:
Registration:
VH-ADY
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Brisbane – Alice Springs – Daly Waters – Batchelor – Darwin
MSN:
1498
YOM:
0
Location:
Pine Creek
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
On the last leg to Darwin, the crew lost his orientation while cruising in rain falls and night. Due to poor visibility, the crew was unable to locate the airport of Darwin and continued over the sea. Few minutes later, pilots realized they were flying over the sea and returned to the continent but could not see the city of Darwin nor its airport. Crew informed ATC he was low of fuel and wanted to land shortly but eventually, the twin engine aircraft hit a mountain slope near Annaburroo Station, in the region of Pine Creek. Rescuers did not find any trace of the aircraft and all operations were suspended few days later. Eventually, the wreckage and all 12 dead bodies were found on June 30, 1942, in an isolated area. The occupants were two pilots and ten US soldiers. The aircraft was built in May 1939 and delivered to Guinea Airways on June 9, 1940.
Probable cause:
Crew lost his orientation due to the failure of both radio compass while flying by night in poor weather conditions (rain falls). Due to low visibility, the crew was unable to establish his real position and to locate the Darwin's Airfield.

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.
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