Royal Australian Air Force - RAAF

Avro Anson A4-32 of 6 Squadron RAAF left Richmond airfield at 1240LT on a flight that was expected to last less than 3 hours. This was part of an Air Navigation course they were being trained in. The particular exercise for this flight was a wind finding direction course over the sea. The weather was clear and fine and weather conditions in no way contributed to the crash which ultimately happened. After leaving Richmond Airfield the Avro Anson was flown out to sea in the vicinity of Smith Head, Sydney. The crew maintained constant radio communication with the airfield and the flight proceeded without incident until approximately 1530LT. At 1527LT, a radio message was received from the aircraft to the effect that the aerial was being reeled in preparatory to landing. At that time the aircraft was within a few miles of the airfield and within a few minutes of landing. This was the last message received from the aircraft. At 1530LT Avro Anson A4-32 crashed into the ground. There were several eye witnesses. It would appear the aircraft was flying in normal level flight at about 1,000 feet when eye witnesses heard some spluttering from the engines along with the noises of backfiring and puffs of smoke were seen coming from the aircraft. The nose of the Avro Anson dropped to an angle of 30 degrees and it started to lose height. Eye witnesses then indicated they could hardly hear the noise of the engines but they then made a sudden roaring noise and the nose pulled up again. But then it went into a steeper dive and crashed directly into the ground with its engines roaring. All four crew who were performing a training flight were killed.
Crew:
Maxwell Leonard Hickson, pilot and navigator,
Lloyd George Harness, pilot,
Raymond Duncan Knight, wireless operator,
Harrie Clarke, fitter armourer.

Source: http://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/nsw164.htm

The single engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances while completing a local training at Point Cook Airport. Both pilots were injured and the aircraft was destroyed. One of the pilot later died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
P/O P. McDonough, instructor pilot, †
J. Costello, student pilot.

The pilot departed RAAF Richmond at 1030LT. While cruising at an altitude estimated between 15,000 and 16,000 feet, he started a series of maneuvers when he lost control of the aircraft that stalled and went into a spin. The aircraft then lost a wing and an engine before crashing in a field located near Windsor, some 5 km east of Richmond AFB. The pilot was killed.
Crew:
John Fletcher, pilot.

Upon landing, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest in a ravine, bursting into flames. All four occupants escaped uninjured and the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.

The crew was performing a training exercise. En route, the pilot encountered limited visibility due to low clouds. The twin engine airplane impacted the slope of hilly and wooded terrain and was partially destroyed. Four crew members were killed while a fifth occupant was injured.
Crew:
Sgt John Gillespie, †
P/O Robert Symmonds, †
AC1 Kenneth McKerrow, †
AC1 Robert Mawson, †
AC1 James Glover.

The crew was performing a bombing training mission over the Green Hills Bombing Range located near Liverpool on behalf of the 22nd Squadron. While making a turn, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed. All five occupants were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt M. P. Alsopp, pilot,
Cpl W. A. Lockwood,
AC1 R. Lawson,
LAC J. Gordon,
AC1 J. Mackey.

The crew (two student pilots and one instructor) were conducting a local training mission out from RAAF Laverton in Melbourne. On final approach, while completing a last turn at low height to join the runway, the aircraft impacted the ground with one of its wing, cartwheeled and crashed. All three occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Crew:
F/O D. McLean, pilot,
A.C. McLean, wireless operator,
LAC G. A. Everingham.

The pilot (Sgt Sommerville) was performing a local training flight at RAAF Point Cook. On final approach, his Moth collided with a RAAF Avro 643 Cadet registered A6-9. Both aircraft crashed and while Sgt Sommerville was killed, the second pilot was injured. Both aircraft wreckage are seen on the photo (A6-9 in the foreground and A7-31 in the background).

On final approach to Richmond, the pilot failed to realize that he was flying too low. A gear impacted a fence and the aircraft overturned and crashed upside down, bursting into flames. While the P/O Charles M. Blamey was killed, the passenger Able Seaman John Plumb was injured.

The crew was performing a local training mission out from RAAF Laverton. On final approach, the aircraft crashed in a field two miles from the airport. Both crew members were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.