Date & Time:
Feb 4, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Registration:
A89-308
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Richmond - Richmond
MSN:
426-5087
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
8
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training mission out from Richmond AFB, NSW. En route, a fire erupted in the right engine nacelle and the crew obtained the permission to return for an emergency landing. The fire quickly spread to the engine and the right wing which detached shortly later. Out of control, the airplane crashed in a prairie and was totally destroyed upon impact. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew (11th Squadron):
S/Ldr Geoffrey Ronald Cullen, pilot,
P/O George Ivan Holmes, copilot,
F/Lt Robert Alfred De-Russett-Kydd, navigator,
F/Sgt John Michael Rock, navigator,
S/Ldr Joseph Kevin McDonald, signaler,
F/O Frederick John Wood, signaler,
P/O Terence Patrick O'Sullivan, signaler,
W/O Vincent Joseph McCarthy, signaler.
Crew (11th Squadron):
S/Ldr Geoffrey Ronald Cullen, pilot,
P/O George Ivan Holmes, copilot,
F/Lt Robert Alfred De-Russett-Kydd, navigator,
F/Sgt John Michael Rock, navigator,
S/Ldr Joseph Kevin McDonald, signaler,
F/O Frederick John Wood, signaler,
P/O Terence Patrick O'Sullivan, signaler,
W/O Vincent Joseph McCarthy, signaler.
Probable cause:
A fire in the port engine nacelle, caused by the disintegration of the power recovery turbine wheel (PRT) for the engine. The disintegration of the PRT caused the severing of fuel lines inside the wheel well, which then ignited the fuel spewing out of the lines. The ensuing fire burned fiercely and before the aircraft could enter into an emergency landing pattern the fire burned through to the wing subsequently causing the wing to fail in-flight a short time later.
