Crash of a De Havilland DH.86 in Bass Strait: 11 killed

Date & Time: Oct 19, 1934
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.86 Express
Operator:
Registration:
VH-URN
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Launceston – Melbourne
MSN:
2301
YOM:
1934
Location:
Bass Strait
All Australia
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
While overflying Bass Strait, the four engine aircraft named 'Miss Hobart' crashed in unknown circumstances some 16 km off the coast of the Wilsons Promontory National Park. SAR teams found some debris and oil leak at the surface of the water a day later but no trace of the 11 occupants was ever found.
Crew:
Cpt Victor C. Holyman, pilot and cofounder of the airliner,
Cpt Gilbert Jenkins.
Probable cause:
The cause of the crash could not be determined. However, one of the recommendations made by the accident investigative commission was to prohibit the changing of pilots in an aircraft while in flight, since one theory into the disappearance of VH-URN pointed to a loss of control resulting from such action by the crew.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.50A near Winton: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 3, 1934
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.50
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UHE
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
4
YOM:
1928
Location:
Winton
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While flying at low altitude in poor weather conditions, the aircraft named 'Atalanta' went out of control and crashed 16 km southeast of Winton. All three occupants were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60M Moth on Mt Taranaki: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 13, 1934
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.60 Moth
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-ABS
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
1488
YOM:
1930
Location:
Mt Egmont (Mt Taranaki)
Taranaki Regional Council
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While cruising at high speed, the airplane impacted the slope of Mt Pouakai located northwest of Mt Taranaki, in the Egmont National Park. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and both occupants, pilot Stanley William Green and the photographer James Alexander Austin were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60 in Ballarat: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 21, 1934
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.60 Moth
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UAG
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Melbourne - Melbourne
MSN:
244
YOM:
1926
Location:
Ballarat
Victoria
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot Roy Lovitt departed Melbourne-Essendon Airport on a solo training flight. The airplane went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances near Ballarat. The pilot was killed and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60M Gipsy Moth in Adelaide: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1934
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.60 Moth
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UNE
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Adelaide - Adelaide
MSN:
1398
YOM:
1930
Location:
Adelaide-Parafield
South Australia
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot Lawrence Newman was performing a local training flight out from Adelaide-Parafield Airport with a De Havilland DH.60X Moth registered VH-UGU and owned by Miss I. J. Bishop. In flight, the single engine airplane collided with another De Havilland DH.60M Gipsy Moth registered VH-UNE and owned by the Royal Aero Club of South Australia. The pilot Horace R. Blair Cowan was also completing a local solo training flight. Following the collision, both aircraft dove into the ground and were destroyed. Both pilots were killed.

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

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1934
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.60 Moth
Operator:
I. J. Bishop
Registration:
VH-UGU
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Adelaide - Adelaide
MSN:
606
YOM:
1928
Location:
Adelaide-Parafield
South Australia
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot Lawrence Newman was performing a local training flight out from Adelaide-Parafield Airport with a De Havilland DH.60X Moth registered VH-UGU and owned by Miss I. J. Bishop. In flight, the single engine airplane collided with another De Havilland DH.60M Gipsy Moth registered VH-UNE and owned by the Royal Aero Club of South Australia. The pilot Horace R. Blair Cowan was also completing a local solo training flight. Following the collision, both aircraft dove into the ground and were destroyed. Both pilots were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.50 in Mia Mia Station

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1934
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.50
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UMC
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Carnarvon – Broome
MSN:
74
YOM:
1929
Location:
Mia Mia Station
Western Australia
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Carnarvon to Broome, weather conditions worsened and crew decided to divert to Mia Mia Station. Upon landing, the airplane hit violently the runway surface, causing the propeller to be torn off. The blades went trough the cabin and the aircraft came to rest. As the airplane was damaged beyond repair, all three passengers were injured and both crew members were unhurt.

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

Date & Time: Dec 24, 1933
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.60 Moth
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-ACY
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Napier - Napier
MSN:
1234
YOM:
1930
Location:
Napier
Hawke's Bay Regional Council
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Napier, while climbing, the single engine airplane entered a dive and crashed. The pilot H. C. Curlett, sole on board, was killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth in Mt Turiwhate: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1933 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.60 Moth
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-AAI
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Hokitika – Christchurch
MSN:
869
YOM:
1929
Location:
Hokitika
West Coast Regional Council
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Hokitika in relative good weather conditions. About 30 minutes into the flight, while cruising at a height of some 1,250 metres, the aircraft impacted the slope of Mt Turiwhate located 30 km east of Hokitika. At the time of the accident, the visibility was poor due to rain falls and foggy conditions. The pilot John D. Renton and the passenger James Daniel Lynch were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a General Aircraft Genairco in Kabakaul: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1933
Type of aircraft:
General Aircraft Genairco
Operator:
Rabaul Airways
Registration:
VH-UNY
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kabakaul - Kabakaul
MSN:
12
YOM:
1930
Location:
Kabakaul
East New Britain
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane was completing local joyrides in the area of Rabaul and Kanakaul. While flying over the Rainau Plantation, the pilot Duncan failed to realized his altitude was insufficient. The airplane struck a tall coconut tree and crashed. A passenger was killed while the second passenger was seriously injured. The pilot Duncan escaped with minor injuries.
Probable cause:
Poor judgement on part of the pilot who failed to see and avoid a tall coconut tree while completing a joyride at low height.
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