Date & Time:
Sep 4, 1928
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.50
Operator:
Registration:
G-AUHI
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Adelaide – Longreach
MSN:
5
YOM:
1928
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Adelaide-Parafield Airport, while cruising at a height of 1,800 feet, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. The pilot lost control of the aircraft that crashed on hilly terrain near Golden Grove, northeast of Adelaide, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post impact fire. The pilot Charles William Anderson Scott, slightly injured, was able to assist his mechanic George Nutson who was seriously burned. Unfortunately, he died from his injuries few hours later.
Probable cause:
Charles Scott was reprimanded by the management of QANTAS for not delaying his flight until better weather prevailed and for making an unauthorized change to the route to Longreach.
