Royal Australian Air Force - RAAF

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Point Cook - Point Cook

MSN:

D3186

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a training flight and was practicing emergency landings. At low altitude and low speed, the aircraft stalled and crashed in flames in Manor, near Werribee. Both pilots were killed and the aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post impact fire.
Crew:
W. A. Holtham,
T. S. G. Watson.

Crash of an Avro 504K in Altona North: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1926

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

A3-27

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Point Cook - Point Cook

MSN:

E3742

YOM:

1918

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot A. Percival was performing a local training flight at RAAF Point Cook. While making aerobatics manoeuvre, he lost control of the aircraft that crashed in Altona North, northeast of Point Cook Airfield. The pilot was killed and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of an Avro 504K in Point Cook

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1926

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

A3-14

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Point Cook - Point Cook

MSN:

H3031

YOM:

1920

Location:

Country:

Region:

Landing (descent or approach)

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

Circumstances:

The pilot D. Ross was performing a training mission at RAAF Point Cook when the accident occurred in unknown circumstances. While the pilot was injured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.9 in Canberra: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1926

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.9

Operator:

Registration:

A6-28

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Topographic

Survivors:

Site:

Australian Capital Territory

Schedule:

Richmond - Canberra

MSN:

C6323

Location:

Canberra

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

254

Circumstances:

Aircraft was carrying a pilot and a photographer for a topographic mission over the Murrumbidgee River. Flying at an altitude of about 150 feet, the plane was about to land at Ainslie, near Canberra, when it nose-dived and crashed in flames to the ground. A farm-hand, named Walter Johnston, who was ploughing 50 yards away, saw the smash and rushed to the scene. By the time he arrived the aeroplane had burst into flame. After crashing, the plane burst into flames and Flying-Officer Pitt was burnt to death. Observer Callendar was terribly injured and died in the Canberra Hospital a few hours after the accident. With the pilot and the observer dead, the cause of the disaster probably will never be known. Onlookers who saw the smash say the machine, when about to make a landing, seemed to lose flying speed and nose-dived to the ground at a terrific rate.
Source: www.3squadron.org.au

Probable cause:

An inquest on the victims was held on Friday when the opinion was reached that the crash was caused by an error of judgment on the part of the pilot. Expert evidence was given by Flight Lieutenant Hepburn, Director of Works and Buildings, RAAF, Melbourne. He said that he had instructed the two men to report to him at Canberra at 0930LT on Thursday, and the machine was sighted shortly after that time. It appeared in good order, but passed the landing ground that had been mapped out and attempted to land from a north-westerly direction. When the pilot shut off the engine the aeroplane stalled. It spun in the air and dived about 100 feet to the ground. He was unable to recognise Flying-Officer Pitt's body. The cause of the mishap, in the opinion of witness, was an error of judgment. The majority of aeroplane accidents are due to the same cause. The machine was valued at £3,000.

Crash of an Avro 504L in Point Cook

Date & Time: Feb 10, 1926

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

A3-46

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Point Cook - Point Cook

MSN:

H3034

YOM:

1920

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

171

Circumstances:

The pilot L. G. McColl was performing a local training mission at RAAF Point Cook on this seaplane when the accident occurred in unknown circumstances. While the pilot was injured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Avro 504K in Point Cook

Date & Time: Feb 2, 1926

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

A3-10

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Point Cook - Point Cook

MSN:

H3022

YOM:

1920

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

Circumstances:

The pilot F. F. Munro was performing a local training flight at RAAF Point Cook. The accident occurred in unknown circumstances. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and the pilot was injured.

Crash of an Avro 504K in Point Cook

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1926

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

A3-7

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Point Cook - Point Cook

MSN:

H2177

YOM:

1920

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

309

Circumstances:

The pilot L. G. McColl, sole on board, was performing a local training mission at RAAF Point Cook when the accident occurred in unknown circumstances. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of an Avro 504K off Point Cook: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1926

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

A3-24

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Point Cook - Point Cook

MSN:

H3045

YOM:

1920

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

Circumstances:

The pilot W. S. Hamilton, sole on board, was performing a local training mission at RAAF Point Cook. While flying over the Phillip Bay, he lost control of the aircraft that entered a dive and crashed in the sea. The pilot was killed.

Probable cause:

Loss of control in flight after the control cables got jammed.

Crash of an Avro 504K in Point Cook: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1926

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

A3-34

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Point Cook - Point Cook

MSN:

H9828

YOM:

1920

Location:

Country:

Region: