Date & Time:
Jan 19, 1937 at 1300 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UPQ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Cooktown – Cairns
MSN:
2085
YOM:
1930
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
1
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While flying over the Trinity Bay, off Cairns, the single engine aircraft crashed into the sea some 16 km off Cairns. The pilot and a young boy aged 13 were injured while a girl aged 15 was killed. It appears that the aircraft was descending to the sea at a normal rate when it impacted the water surface and crashed.
Probable cause:
No mechanical failure. Investigation concluded that the pilot had fallen asleep and descended gradually into the sea.
