Date & Time: Jul 16, 1951 at 0907 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland Australia DHA-3 Drover
Operator:
Registration:
VH-EBQ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wau – Bulolo – Lae
MSN:
5003
YOM:
31
Location:
Lae
Morobe
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
6
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
7
Aircraft flight hours:
200
Circumstances:
The three engine aircraft left Bulolo at 0835LT bound for Lae. 31 minutes later, while approaching Lae Airport, the pilot informed ground about his position over the mouth of Markham River. While flying in a visibility of two miles due to rain falls, the pilot lost control of the aircraft that crashed in to the Huon Gulf, about four miles south of Lae Airport. Some debris were found around noon and all seven occupants were killed, among them the pilot Captain J. W. Spiers.
Source:
http://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/drover/drover.htm
Probable cause:
The initial finding of investigation by DCA and QEA was a pilot error in that he continued the flight under VFR into reduced visibility in low cloud and rain. The wreckage salvaged included the centre propeller which was missing blade. This was assumed to be caused by the impact with the sea. However, after the ditching of VH-DHA on 16APR1952, renewed investigations revealed that the missing centre propeller blade had suffered a structural failure and broke away in flight, causing the engine to pull out of its mounting and the pilot to lose control of the aircraft that crashed into the sea.