Region
Oceania

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.60M Moth in Ord River: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 4, 1934
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.60 Moth
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UNX
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Adelaide – Ord River
MSN:
1400
YOM:
1930
Location:
Ord River
Western Australia
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed upon landing in Ord River for unknown circumstances. While the passenger was killed, the pilot was seriously injured.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.86 in Bass Strait: 11 killed

Date & Time: Oct 19, 1934
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
VH-URN
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Launceston – Melbourne
MSN:
2301
YOM:
1934
Location:
Bass Strait
All Australia
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
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.
Probable cause:
The cause of the crash could not be determined. However, one of the recommendations made by the accident investigative commission was to prohibit the changing of pilots in an aircraft while in flight, since one theory into the disappearance of VH-URN pointed to a loss of control resulting from such action by the crew.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.50A near Winton: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 3, 1934
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.50
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UHE
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
4
YOM:
1928
Location:
Winton
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While flying at low altitude in poor weather conditions, the aircraft named 'Atalanta' went out of control and crashed 16 km southeast of Winton. All three occupants were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60 in Ballarat: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 21, 1934
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.60 Moth
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UAG
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Melbourne - Melbourne
MSN:
244
YOM:
1926
Location:
Ballarat
Victoria
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot Roy Lovitt departed Melbourne-Essendon Airport on a solo training flight. The airplane went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances near Ballarat. The pilot was killed and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60M Gipsy Moth in Adelaide: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1934
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.60 Moth
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UNE
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Adelaide - Adelaide
MSN:
1398
YOM:
1930
Location:
Adelaide-Parafield
South Australia
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot Lawrence Newman was performing a local training flight out from Adelaide-Parafield Airport with a De Havilland DH.60X Moth registered VH-UGU and owned by Miss I. J. Bishop. In flight, the single engine airplane collided with another De Havilland DH.60M Gipsy Moth registered VH-UNE and owned by the Royal Aero Club of South Australia. The pilot Horace R. Blair Cowan was also completing a local solo training flight. Following the collision, both aircraft dove into the ground and were destroyed. Both pilots were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60X Moth in Adelaide: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1934
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.60 Moth
Operator:
I. J. Bishop
Registration:
VH-UGU
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Adelaide - Adelaide
MSN:
606
YOM:
1928
Location:
Adelaide-Parafield
South Australia
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot Lawrence Newman was performing a local training flight out from Adelaide-Parafield Airport with a De Havilland DH.60X Moth registered VH-UGU and owned by Miss I. J. Bishop. In flight, the single engine airplane collided with another De Havilland DH.60M Gipsy Moth registered VH-UNE and owned by the Royal Aero Club of South Australia. The pilot Horace R. Blair Cowan was also completing a local solo training flight. Following the collision, both aircraft dove into the ground and were destroyed. Both pilots were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.50 in Mia Mia Station

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1934
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.50
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UMC
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Carnarvon – Broome
MSN:
74
YOM:
1929
Location:
Mia Mia Station
Western Australia
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Carnarvon to Broome, weather conditions worsened and crew decided to divert to Mia Mia Station. Upon landing, the airplane hit violently the runway surface, causing the propeller to be torn off. The blades went trough the cabin and the aircraft came to rest. As the airplane was damaged beyond repair, all three passengers were injured and both crew members were unhurt.

Crash of a Vickers 198 Viastra II in Perth

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1933
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Viastra
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UOM
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Perth – Kalgoorlie – Adelaide
MSN:
2
YOM:
1931
Location:
Perth
Western Australia
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, while climbing, a propeller blade on the left engine detached and impacted the fuselage, damaging control cables and hitting a passenger. The pilot reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing in Redcliffe, near the airport. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and all 12 occupants evacuated safely.
Probable cause:
Loss of a propeller blade on the left engine shortly after takeoff.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60 Moth in Rocklea

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1933
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.60 Moth
Operator:
C. H. Ferris
Registration:
VH-UGH
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
354
YOM:
1927
Location:
Rocklea
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed shortly after takeoff from Rocklea, in the suburb of Brisbane, Queensland. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and both occupants were slightly injured.
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