Country
Australia
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New South Wales

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-35-DK in Schofields

Date & Time: Nov 5, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
A65-116
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
16705/33453
YOM:
1945
Location:
Schofields
New South Wales
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414-08 Hudson IVA in Camden: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 1, 1950 at 0057 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
VH-SMK
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Camden – Dubbo
MSN:
414-6043
YOM:
1941
Location:
Camden
New South Wales
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, while climbing to a height of 150 feet, the aircraft nosed down first, dove into the ground and crashed in flames in a field. The aircraft was destroyed and both crew members were killed.
Crew:
Richard Cruicksbanks, pilot,
Robert Bruce Purvis, copilot.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, it was stated that the total weight of the aircraft was above MTOW by 150 to 300 kilos at the time of the accident and that the right engine was not running at impact. These two facts were not considered as contributory factors. Despite the fact that the pilot was able to fly this kind of aircraft, he was not in possession of a valid license at the time of the accident.

Crash of an Avro 652A Anson I in Tamworth

Date & Time: Oct 12, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
VH-BDO
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Tamworth
New South Wales
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the right engine failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed near the runway end. All seven passengers were able to vacate the cabin while the pilot was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine caused by a fuel line that was blocked by a hornet's nest.

Crash of an Avro 691 Lancastrian I in Dubbo

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1949 at 1315 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 691 Lancastrian
Operator:
Registration:
VH-EAS
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Dubbo - Dubbo
MSN:
1184
YOM:
1944
Location:
Dubbo
New South Wales
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local training mission. After several landings and takeoffs completed, the crew consisting of one instructor and seven pilots under supervision decided to perform a flapless landing. After touchdown, the pilot in command realized that his speed was too high and that he would be unable to stop within the remaining distance. He took the decision to make a sharp turn to the right to vacate the runway when the left main gear collapsed. The left wing contacted the ground and was sheared off at the root, causing the fuel to flow on the ground and to ignite while contacting sparks generated by the friction of the metal with the runway surface. The aircraft veered off runway and came to rest in flames. All eight occupants were quickly evacuated while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
The crew attempted a flapless landing under unsuitable meteorological and wind conditions.

Crash of a Consolidated PB2B-2 Catalina on Lord Howe Island: 7 killed

Date & Time: Sep 28, 1948 at 1930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
A24-381
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Lord Howe Island - Lord Howe Island
MSN:
61163
Location:
Lord Howe Island
New South Wales
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Rathmines-based No 11 Squadron suffered the loss of a Catalina amphibian and seven crewmen in a night crash on Lord Howe Island on this day. The aircraft had completed the outward leg of a navigation exercise to the island and altered course for home when a serious fuel leak began filling the compartment with petrol vapor 20 minutes into the return leg. The captain decided to turn back to Lord Howe and attempt a landing on the island’s sheltered lagoon. After crossing the island west to east, the aircraft turned back before clipping the ridge line below Malabar Hill at about 1930LT. The Catalina careered down the slope before exploding in flames. Local residents who rushed to the scene extracted two seriously injured crew from the wreck. The death toll was the highest suffered by the RAAF in a peacetime accident up until that time.
Crew (11th Squadron):
F/Lt Malcolm D. Smith, †
F/Lt James McCoy, †
F/Lt William D. Keller, †
F/Lt Alex McKenzie, †
Sydney L. Piercey, pilot, †
W/O Sydney H. Bacon, †
W/O Donald E. Salis, †
F/LT Bert R. Bradley,
W/O John D. Lea.
Source:
http://airpower.airforce.gov.au/HistoryRecord/HistoryRecordDetail.aspx?rid=534

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-50-DL near Quirindi: 13 killed

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1948 at 2015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
VH-ANK
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Brisbane – Sydney
MSN:
9999
YOM:
1943
Flight number:
ANA331
Location:
Quirindi
New South Wales
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
While cruising in low visibility due to marginal weather conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of Square Peak (4,600 feet) located in the region of Quirindi. The wreckage was found few hours later and all 13 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was off course by 100 miles.
Probable cause:
Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident. However, the inquiry found that the probable cause of the crash was interference with the airplane's magnetic compass due to a nearby electrical storm and a defect in the navigational signals sent by the Government-maintained Kempsey low-frequency radio range station, an important navigational aid to flights in the area. Errors and deficiencies in the aeronautical charts used to navigate the mountainous area were also found.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414-08 Hudson IV in Balmoral Station: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
VH-SMJ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
414-6046
YOM:
1941
Location:
Balmoral
New South Wales
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crashed and burned on Balmoral Station south of Muswellbrook, while on a trial newspaper dropping flight. The aircraft was preparing to drop newspapers in an open area when it appeared to dive almost vertically into the ground. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
Geoff Hoskins, pilot,
Edward Conner, copilot.
Source: http://www.adastron.com/lockheed/hudson/vh-smj.htm
Probable cause:
The investigation attributed the accident to loss of control arising out of incorrect loading. This aircraft was destroyed before its Certificate of Registration was issued and thus the registration VH-SMJ was technically not taken up.
VH-SMJ was not registered by this Department in that no Certificate of Registration had been issued, although an application, dated 19th May 1947, had been lodged at Mascot. It appears that this application was held at Mascot for some months and was finally forwarded to this Head Office with the Interim Certificate of Airworthiness. There is no indication as to when these documents were received at Head Office, but it seems likely that it was prior to the accident as the forwarding date on the Interim CofA is 24th October 1947. The fact that VH-SMJ flew without a CofR constitutes a breach of ANR No 108, but it is considered that no action should be taken as the operator, in making application, complied with the spirit of the Regulation. Also, the fact that the letters VH-SMJ had been allotted probably created the impression that the aircraft was actually registered.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson in Kempsey

Date & Time: Aug 8, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
VH-BCH
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Sydney – Kempsey
Location:
Kempsey
New South Wales
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a cargo flight from Sydney-Mascot. On touchdown in Kempsey, the undercarriage collapsed. The aircraft skidded on runway, came to rest and was damaged beyond repair. Both pilots were unarmed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in Schofields

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
VH-AOH
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Schofields - Schofields
MSN:
13603
YOM:
1944
Location:
Schofields
New South Wales
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing touch and goes at Schofields Airport. On final approach, the airplane failed to land, overshot and eventually crashed in a wooded area past the runway end. The aircraft was destroyed while both pilots were injured.

Crash of a Lockheed 14-H2 Super Electra in Schofields

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 14 Super Electra
Operator:
Registration:
VH-ADT
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
1409
YOM:
1938
Location:
Schofields
New South Wales
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll, the left main gear collapsed after hitting a log. The twin engine aircraft went out of control, veered off runway, slid for several yards and came to rest in flames. All four occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed.
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