Royal Australian Air Force - RAAF

Parked at East Sale Airport, the airplane was illegally taken by a RAAF aircraftman. Shortly after takeoff, the 'pilot' lost control of the airplane that crashed near the runway end. The airplane was destroyed and the sole occupant was killed. The aircraftman did not held any pilot license.

Shortly after takeoff from runway 30 at Canberra Airport, while on a local training mission, the left engine lost power. Due to a technical issue on the regulator, the crew was unable to shot down the engine and to feather the propeller. The pilot-in-command continued to the south and while approaching Mt Pleasant, the airplane went out of control and crashed in flames at Duntroon, west of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt H. N.MacDonald, pilot,
F/Sgt N. H. Charlton, copilot,
Sgt I. A. Makrill, navigator,
Sgt M. C. Coombe, signaler.

Crashed on takeoff for unknown reason. There were no injuries.

10 Squadron RAAF had received a telephone call late on Good Friday night from the Townsville hospital seeking an emergency evacuation to Brisbane of a critically jaundiced 2 day old baby, Robyn Huxley. As most of the Squadron's air crew were on leave or stand-down over Easter, the Commanding Officer of 10 Squadron, Wing Commander John Costello decided to pilot the Squadron's only serviceable aircraft, A73-64, for the evacuation flight. The crew consisted of the new Commanding Officer Wing Commander Costello who had flown Sunderlands during the war against the German U Boats in the Atlantic, the Senior Navigation Officer, Squadron Leader Finlay, who was a wartime Pathfinder navigator, the squadron Chief Signaler, Flight Lieutenant Cater, and the squadron Senior Engineering Officer, Squadron Leader Mason. The baby girl and nurse Mafalda Gray were positioned in the long-nosed section of the Lincoln bomber. The aircraft took off from Garbutt airfield at 00.30 am on Saturday 9 April 1955. The aircraft encountered some cloud and rain as it approached southern Queensland. The aircraft had to fly at a relatively low altitude to ensure the baby had a comfortable flight. At 4.05 am the aircraft contacted Brisbane Air Traffic Control to advise that they were flying in cloud at 6,000 feet. They advised that they would arrive in Brisbane in about 10 minutes time and sought a clearance to reduce altitude to 5,000 feet. Brisbane Air Traffic Control advised that they were cleared to drop to 5,000 feet and if they wished they could drop to 4,000 feet for the approach to Eagle Farm airfield. A short time later Brisbane Air Traffic Control contacted them with weather information and asked them to confirm when they had obtained a visual fix on the town of Caboolture. No further reports were heard from the Lincoln bomber. There were no low clouds in the Brisbane area at that time. Some time later, reports came in that an aircraft, later confirmed as a Lincoln, was heard to circle over the town of Bell at about 3.30 am. Bell is located about 18 miles north east of Dalby. Clearly A73-64 was well off course. The weather south of Bell was overcast with scattered rain. At 4.14 am some members of the Brisbane Bushwalking Club heard a large aircraft fly overhead followed by the noise of an impact and some large explosions. By their estimation it had slammed into a nearby mountain in the Main Range region of the Border Ranges near Emu Vale. This was later confirmed to be Mount Superbus, the highest mountain (1,375 meters) in southern Queensland. A small group from the Bushwalking club was dispatched immediately to Emu Vale to notify the relevant authorities. Five hours later a Canberra bomber from Amberley airbase was able to confirm the location of the still burning wreckage of Lincoln, A73-64 just below the summit of Mount Superbus. Ground rescue crews were dispatched to the site. They quickly confirmed that there were no survivors.
Crew (10th Squadron):
W/Cdr John Peter Costello, pilot,
S/Ldr Charles Surtees Mason, copilot,
S/Ldr John Watson Finlay, navigator,
F/Lt William George Stanley Cater, signaler.
Passengers:
Baby Robyn Huxley,
Sister Mafalda Gray.
Source: http://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/superbus.htm

The aircraft took off from Sale bound for Bathurst and Richmond. During the flight the starboard engine lost power but the plane was able to make a safe landing at Canberra. No cause for the engine failure could be found and the next morning the DC-3 departed Canberra for Sale (East Sale Airbase). At approximately 11am, just before reaching Mt Kosciuszko, the starboard engine again failed. This time however the plane lost altitude dramatically and was subject to severe turbulence. The only option was to attempt a forced landing. At that point an open flat appeared amongst the mass of forested mountains. Laurie Hawes and Bernie Mullen struggled to control the stricken aircraft while Frank Howie sent out a distress signal. They circled the flat and made their approach. Before the Dakota could land it had to clear a ridge which resulted in too much height and speed for landing on the open ground. The Murray River had to be negotiated, which runs across the flat as a small gully, as well as the severe turbulence and only one functioning engine. In the few remaining seconds Laurie made the decision to stall the plane into the timber on the south-western side of the flat. There was a group of three trees in a triangle, which he attempted to position the plane between. Hopefully they would take the force of the wings and nose. One of the trees was a little further forward than anticipated and as the Dakota hit the timber it skewed around. A large eucalyptus crashed into the cockpit destroying the starboard side where Bernie Mullen sat. The port wing sheared off and one of the blades of the starboard propeller sliced through the floor of the signaler's compartment. Finally the plane came to a halt. Laurie recalls "the silence was deafening". Frank and Eric escaped with slight lacerations and they released Laurie who was trapped by his legs and had sustained a deep laceration to his calf. All were suffering from shock but fearing an explosion they dragged the unconscious Bernie away from the wreckage. Nothing could be done for him. He had multiple injuries and died a few minutes after the impact. The survivors set about finding some shelter and wondered if they would be rescued from this remote location and when it might be. The weather was cold and miserable. The only shelter was the chimney of an old stockman's hut ruin on the northern side of the flat. Fortunately the distress signal that Frank sent immediately prior to the crash had been received. A little over one hour after impact a RAAF search plane piloted by Flight Sergeant Frank Daniel located the survivors. Through a series of weighted paper messages search planes were able to communicate with those on the ground and drop them survival rations. Two ground search parties then set out. The first was led by Omeo policeman Lionel Baddeley and contained several men with local knowledge, amongst them four of the Pendergasts, one of the local pioneering mountain families. The second party was the RAAF search party led by Group Captain W. N. Gibson. Baddeley's party camped out then pushed on in the early hours of August 26. They drove as far as they could and then continued on foot via an old overgrown mining track for another 10 miles. Late that morning they reached the survivors. After a short rest the long trek out began. The airmen were stiff, sore and no doubt still in shock. Their rescuers were tired having already covered the rugged, densely vegetated terrain. In addition they had to carry out Bernie Mullen's body on a bush stretcher made from saplings. All found the trip arduous. Just before nightfall they reached the vehicles. From there they drove to Benambra and spent the night at the pub. Frank Howie recalls "After the hospitality of the locals in the public bar no one needed rocking that night." The next day the airmen returned to Sale. Before long Laurie Hawes was flying again. It was business as normal and the flat at the headwaters of the Murray returned to its former tranquility. Nowadays there is little left of Dakota DC3, A65-50. The RAAF removed parts for the crash investigation and the Snowy Mountains Authority built a hut using materials salvaged from the shell. People wanting a souvenir of the site took the remainder piece by piece. With so little of the aircraft left, the story of Dakota DC-3, A65-50 was likely to be lost and with it another part of our alpine heritage. Historian's Noel Gough and Dianne Carroll have spent a great deal of time and effort researching this story and documenting it. They tracked down survivors of the crash and their rescuers and a reunion was held to mark the event on 15th and 16th March this year at the Benambra Hotel, where the aircrew was first taken after their ordeal. Staff attended the gathering from Alpine and Kosciuszko National Parks who now manage the grassy flat where the DC-3 came to rest. As one of the attendees at the reunion, it was a privilege to hear the survivors and rescuers recount their versions of the events first hand. A commemorative souvenir has been produced which gives a full account of this story. It is available from Dianne Carrol.
Crew:
F/Lt Laurie Hawes, pilot,
F/O Bernard Mullein, copilot, †
F/Lt Eric Walker, navigator,
P/O Frank Howie, signaler.
Source:
Amanda Carey Ranger
Namadgi National Park
ACT Parks & Conservation Service
Despite the credit given above to Gough and Carroll, it was Canberra historian Matthew Higgins who researched and wrote the story of the plane’s last flight, the crash, and the rescue. It is his article that appears in the commemorative souvenir booklet, though without adequate acknowledgement.

Shortly after takeoff from Iwakuni AFB, while climbing to an altitude of 300 feet, the left engine caught fire. The crew lost control of the airplane that crashed into the sea about 1,500 meters offshore. Both pilots were injured while the aircraft sank and was lost.

While on an IFR training flight from Mallala by day in clear weather, the port mainplane parted from the fuselage. The aircraft crashed into a wheat field 2 miles from the RAAF Station. The three crew members were killed. The crash set the wheat field ablaze and the RAAF Mallala fire crews had to extinguish the the field fire to reach the crash site. The port wing was found 1.5 miles away.
Crew:
F/Lt J. D. Entwhistle,
F/O Leonard Murphy
F/O Donald Shillinglaw.
Source: http://www.goodall.com.au

The aircraft left Sydney-Mascot at 1034LT on a meteorological mission consisting of clouds measurement with four crew members and two employees of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). While flying in poor weather conditions, the crew obtained the permission to descend from 6,000 to 2,000 feet when both engines failed simultaneously. The airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea about 27 miles east of Wollongong. Few debris were found floating on water and all six occupants have been killed.
Crew:
F/Lt A. Tafe, pilot,
S/Ldr P. G. Fisher, copilot,
W/O G. G. Bocquet, radio operator,
ACW M. E. Costello.
Passengers:
Mr. F. Campbell,
Mr. R. S. Styles.

The crew was completing a supply mission to the federated Malaysian Police station based at Kampong Aur. On final approach, the left engine failed and the aircraft crash landed in a field. The undercarriage and both engines were sheared off and all eight occupants were slightly injured.
Crew:
S/L A. H. Birch, pilot,
Cpt Headlam, copilot,
F/Lt R. B. Denniston, navigator,
F/Lt W. G. Smith, wireless operator.
Passengers:
Cpl J. Middleton,
Dvr W. Wilkinson,
Dvr R. Ennis,
Dvr C. Christie.

Crashed on landing. There were no casualties.