Crash of a Simmonds Spartan in Pleasant Point

Date & Time: Oct 31, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-ABN
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
42
YOM:
1929
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing on a private area, the single engine aircraft was caught by gusty winds. The right wing hit telephone wires and the aircraft cartwheeled and came to rest upside down. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Fokker F7b/3m in Kiunga

Date & Time: Oct 26, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PK-AFF
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Batavia - Kiunga
MSN:
5188
YOM:
1930
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing, the aircraft went out of control and came to rest upside down. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Fokker Super Universal in Alexishaven: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 6, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
VH-UJT
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Alexishaven – Salamaua
MSN:
436
YOM:
1929
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Danip Airfield, the single aircraft stalled and crashed, killing all five occupants, among them the pilot Willy Schaffhausen.
Probable cause:
The aircraft was overloaded.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60M Moth in Masterton

Date & Time: Jun 21, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-ABE
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Masterton - Masterton
MSN:
1448
YOM:
1930
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Masterton-Hood Airport, the single engine aircraft was too low and hit a fence before nosing to the ground. While the aircraft was destroyed, both occupants were injured.
Crew:
Frederick J. McDonald, instructor,
John Morrison, student pilot.
Probable cause:
Too low approach.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth in Melbourne: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 11, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UHS
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Melbourne - Melbourne
MSN:
880
YOM:
1929
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft, owned by Australian National Airways, was piloted by Gertrude McKenzie who was taking boys from the St. Vincent de Paul Orphanage for joy flights. While preparing for take off, the aircraft collided with another De Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth. Registered VH-UHS, it was owned by the Royal Victorian Aero Club and piloted by Florence Wurts who was also taking boys from the St. Vincent de Paul Orphanage for joy flights. Both aircraft suffered an extensive fire and were destroyed. While both occupants of VH-UNP were slightly injured, the pilot of VH-UHS, Miss Florence Wurts was killed and the young passenger was injured.
Probable cause:
The exact causes and circumstances of the collision remain unknown.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth in Melbourne

Date & Time: Jun 11, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UNP
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Melbourne - Melbourne
MSN:
1407
YOM:
1930
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft, owned by Australian National Airways, was piloted by Gertrude McKenzie who was taking boys from the St. Vincent de Paul Orphanage for joy flights. While preparing for take off, the aircraft collided with another De Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth. Registered VH-UHS, it was owned by the Royal Victorian Aero Club and piloted by Florence Wurts who was also taking boys from the St. Vincent de Paul Orphanage for joy flights. Both aircraft suffered an extensive fire and were destroyed. While both occupants of VH-UNP were slightly injured, the pilot of VH-UHS, Miss Florence Wurts was killed and the young passenger was injured.
Probable cause:
The exact causes and circumstances of the collision remain unknown.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60X Cirrus Moth in Roma: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 12, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
VH-UPY
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Chinchilla - Roma
MSN:
550
YOM:
1928
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training flight from Chinchilla to Roma. On approach, he lost control of the aircraft that crashed in a pasture. The instructor was killed and the student pilot was injured. It is believed that the pilot who was not an instructor was giving flight instruction. Also, the flight was considered as unauthorized/illegal.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I off Elwood: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 2, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A4-11
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Laverton - Laverton
MSN:
977
YOM:
1936
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training flight following recent modification on the communication systems. While returning to his base at Laverton, the crew encountered poor visibility due to fog and reduced his altitude to maintain a visual contact with the ground when the aircraft impacted the water surface and crashed into the Port Phillip Bay off Elwood, south of Melbourne. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Ronald Davies,
Cpl Gordon Peake,
AC1 John Quinn.
Probable cause:
Too low approach in foggy conditions.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Riverston: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A4-32
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Richmond - Richmond
MSN:
1027
YOM:
1937
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
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

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth in Auckland

Date & Time: Feb 28, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-ADG
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Auckland - Auckland
MSN:
894
YOM:
1929
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local training flight out from Auckland Airport. On final approach, while completing a last turn, the single engine aircraft stalled and crashed in a field. Both occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.