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
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
3
Other fatalities:
0
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.
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.
