Date & Time: Nov 21, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
41-18648
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Port Moresby – Cairns – Townsville – Rockhampton – Brisbane
MSN:
6009
YOM:
1942
Location:
Monto
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
9
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
The aircraft christened 'Star Duster' left Port Moresby bound for Brisbane with intermediate stops in Cairns, Townsville and Rockhampton. About 6,700 pounds of cargo were boarded in Garbutt Airfield near Townsville and some mail was loaded in Rockhampton. On the last leg to Brisbane, while cruising west of Monto, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and lost control of the aircraft that crashed in a canyon. As the aircraft was declared missing, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. On June 22, 1948, a local found the wreckage in a steep wooded gully located between two high hills west of Monto. The right wing was found in 1961 some one km from the main wreckage and other debris such a door and stabilizer were found in 1991.
Crew (374th TCG):
1st Lt Victor N. Gibson, pilot,
2nd Lt Michael L. Reitman, copilot,
S/Sgt Everett L. Ahmann, flight engineer,
Cpl John F. Guigo, radio operator.
Passengers:
Tec Albert E. Peglow,
T/Sgt T.G. Cucciaro,
A/Sgt Hugh John McClean,
Sgt Philip Ernest Nicholls,
Gun Thomas Layton Vinecombe,
Sgt Jack Ernest Kerr,
Sgt Albert William Lawrence,
F/O Frank McLaurin Bartlett,
LAC Hector Richard Hore.
Source & photos: http://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/qld58.htm
Probable cause:
According to the US Command, the crew lost control of the aircraft after the right wing failed in flight due to heavy turbulence.