Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland MR.5 off Flying Fish Cove

Date & Time: Jun 21, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Short S.25 Sunderland
Operator:
Registration:
SZ599
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
YOM:
1946
Location:
Flying Fish Cove (Christmas Island)
Western Australia
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While landing off the island, the seaplane hit a swell, lost a float and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3D in Paraparaumu: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 22, 1954 at 0923 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-AQT
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Christchurch - Paraparaumu
MSN:
15948/32696
YOM:
1945
Flight number:
NZA152
Location:
Paraparaumu-Kapiti Coast
Greater Wellington Regional Council
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
25
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Aircraft flight hours:
12732
Circumstances:
On final approach to Paraparaumu Airport, both engines failed simultaneously. Then captain was able to restart the engine but the aircraft lost speed and height. While trying to climb, the aircraft banked right and hit a house, shearing off 12 feet of the right wing. The airplane passed between two houses and eventually crashed in a wooded area. The aircraft was destroyed, three children were killed and all other occupants were injured, some of them seriously.
Probable cause:
- Either throughout the flight or a substantial portion of it both engines were drawing fuel from the starboard main tank,
- The selector valves or valve were moved after the engines cut out, and the valves, when found and checked later, indicated a final setting of each engine to its respective port and starboard main tank,
- The total fuel usage recorded for sixty hours of service by the engines of this aircraft prior to this flight establish that the fuel was used normally by each engine from each tank and there was no malfunctioning of the selector equipment,
- The failure of the engines of this aircraft was due to exhaustion of fuel in the starboard main tank, to which both engines had been selected,
- Having regard to the position and condition of the aircraft at the time of engine failure the subsequent accident to the aircraft was inevitable.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide in Labasa

Date & Time: Apr 26, 1954
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide
Operator:
Registration:
VQ-FAL
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Labasa – Nadi
MSN:
6707
YOM:
1944
Location:
Labasa
All Fiji Islands
Country:
Fiji Islands
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Labasa Airport, the left engine failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed in flames. All six occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine after takeoff.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver in Mangamahu: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 20, 1954
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
Operator:
Registration:
ZK-AXK
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Spraying (Agricultural)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
89
YOM:
1950
Location:
Mangamahu
Manawatu-Wanganui (Horizons 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:
The pilot was performing a spraying mission when the accident occurred in unclear circumstances. He was killed in the crash.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-5-DK off Mackay: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1954 at 0420 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
VH-BBV
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Mackay – Rockhampton
MSN:
12360
YOM:
1944
Location:
Mackay
Queensland
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
One minute after its takeoff from Mackay Airport, while climbing by night, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and plunged into the sea off Mackay. The aircraft was destroyed and both crew members were killed. The crew was completing a cargo flight from Mackay to Rockhampton, carrying a load of newspapers.
Probable cause:
The assumption that the loss of control was the result of a bird strike was not ruled out.

Crash of a Miles M.57 Aerovan IV in Ranfurly

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Miles M.57 Aerovan
Operator:
Hewett Aviation
Registration:
ZK-AWW
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Mossburn – Roxburgh
MSN:
6427
YOM:
1947
Location:
Ranfurly
Otago Regional Council
Country:
New Zealand
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, was performing a cargo flight from Mossburn to Roxburgh. While approaching Roxburgh Airfield, he was forced to divert because the airport was already closed to trafic. Few minutes later, due to fuel exhaustion, he decided to attempt an emergency landing in a farmland located in Ranfurly. While the airplane was damaged beyond repair in the accident, the pilot was uninjured.
Probable cause:
Forced landing due to fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-8 on Agrihan Island: 10 killed

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
17179
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Andersen - Andersen
MSN:
43346
YOM:
1944
Location:
Agrihan Island
Northern Marianna Islands
Country:
Northern Mariana Islands
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew left Andersen AFB on a SAR mission following the disappearance three days earlier of a USN Consolidated PB4Y-2S Privateer that was completing a meteorological mission in the typhoon Doris. In flight, the R4D-8 hit the slope of the volcano located in the center of the Agrihan Island and disintegrated on impact, killing all 10 crew members. The wreckage was found six days later, on December 26. For unknown reason, the airplane was flying at an insufficient altitude and the pilots failed to distinguish the volcano.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Consolidated PB4Y-2S Privateer off Agrihan Island: 9 killed

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1953 at 0845 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer
Operator:
Registration:
59716
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Meteorological / Weather
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Agana - Agana
MSN:
59716
YOM:
1943
Location:
Agrihan Island
Northern Marianna Islands
Country:
Northern Mariana Islands
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
While flying at low altitude into the typhoon Doris, the aircraft (VW-3) crashed into the ocean in unclear circumstances off Agrihan Island. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.

Crash of a Bristol 170 Freighter 21E in Mallala: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 25, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 170 Freighter
Operator:
Registration:
A81-2
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
12805
YOM:
1946
Location:
Mallala
South Australia
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
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
Probable cause:
RAAF investigation determined that the wing was placed under severe load during a separate training flight on the morning of the accident's day. The morning exercise included recovery from unusual attitudes using only a limited instrument panel. On two occasions the training captain placed the aircraft into a steep diving turn, recovery from which pulled high G force, to the extent a second pilot seated at the Navigator position blacked out. The subsequent investigations traced the problem to fatigue failure in the wing root ends and main spar structure. Bristol produced a modification which was proven successful. Most British and European civil B170s were flown to Western Airways at Weston-super-Mare to have the extensive modification carried out at Bristol expense. Australian B170s had went to Bristol Aviation Services at Bankstown to have their wings removed and the modifications installed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth in Kokoda

Date & Time: Nov 17, 1953
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UTY
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Port Moresby – Kokoda
MSN:
4041
YOM:
1933
Location:
Kokoda
Central
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane was performing a cargo flight from Port Moresby to Kokoda, carrying mail, freezer meat, bread, Christmas parcels and general cargo. The pilot Frank Goosens remembers: "I had to circle and circle to climb over the Gap. I jumped over the ridge to get over Lake Myola, and had to tackle one more ridge. Instead of getting an updraft, I was in a downdraft, tried to turn back and in doing so, dodging around the hills, I fell into a spin, caught not get out and wrapped the Fox Moth around a tree. The plane was a wreck but apart from a bleeding forehead I was unscratched. Everything in front of the pilot's cabin was crushed. The engine was pushed right back and must have just missed my head." Frank Goosens attempted to walk out of the jungle on the Kokoda Trail, but after being seen by a searching DC-3, returned to the wreck and slept in the cockpit for two nights while waiting the arrival of the ground search party.
Probable cause:
Caught by downdraft on approach.
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