MacRobertson Miller Airlines

Vickers Viscount

Flight 1750 was a scheduled domestic flight from Perth to Port Hedland in the State of Western Australia. Whilst taxiing for take-off on runway 02 at Perth Airport, the crew received and acknowledged an air traffic clearance communicated by Perth Tower. Of the alternative clearances offered, the pilot-in-command elected to proceed via the 030° radial of the Perth Very High Frequency Omni-Range (VOR), to Ballidu, whilst climbing to FL 170. Take-off was normal and the crew reported the departure time as 0836 hours Western Standard Time. At 0839 hours the pilot-in-command reported that he was climbing at an indicated airspeed of 155 kt, instead of the 175 kt proposed in the flight plan, because of turbulence which he first encountered at 1 500 ft. During this climb the co-pilot also advised Perth that the aircraft would continue its climb beyond the proposed FL 170 and cruise at FL 190. Apart from these minor changes to the flight plan the aircraft continued normally along the intended route with position reports being transmitted as scheduled to Perth Flight Service Centre, Meekatharra Flight Service Unit and Port Hedland Flight Service Centre. At 1114 hours the aircraft advised Port Hedland that it was abeam Wittenoom Gorge at FL 190 and that its estimated time of arrival at Port Hedland was 1142 hours. At 1120 hours the flight advised that it would be commencing its descent from FL 190 in three minutes and at 11-34 hours it reported that it was 30 miles by Distance Measuring Equipment south of Port Hedland-and had left 7 000 ft on descent. The flight service officer at Port Hedland acknowledged this message and transmitted the surface wind and temperature conditions and the altimeter setting for landing at Port Hedland. When this communication was not acknowledged further calls were made but no further communication from the aircraft was heard or recorded. At about the time that the aircraft failed to respond to the radio communication, two persons, each in different positions, saw the aircraft descending rapidly and steeply although these observations were made from distances of 44 and 64 miles respectively. Neither of these eyewitnesses was able to observe any impact with the ground because of intervening high terrain. At 1212 hours a Cessna 337 aircraft left Port Hedland to search along the route which the aircraft had been expected to follow and, eleven minutes later, the pilot of the search aircraft saw the burning wreckage of the Viscount aircraft, close to the intended route. Approximately one hour later a ground party from Port Hedland reached the scene of the accident. The location of the wreckage was later determined to be 28.1 miles on a bearing of 184' true from Port Hedland Airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and none of the 26 occupants survived the crash.

Avro 652 Anson

The aircraft was performing an ambulance flight from Tablelands to Derby, carrying a young ill child, his father, two nurses and one pilot on behalf of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Enroute, weather conditions worsened and the pilot encountered thunderstorm activity with turbulences when control was lost. The aircraft crashed on the Hawkstone Peak located in the King Leopold Ranges. As the airplane failed to arrive in Derby, SAR operations were conducted but the wreckage was found three weeks later only. All five occupants were killed. Crew: Cpt Pieter van Emmerick. Passengers: Sister Frances Day, nurse, Sister Helen Newman, nurse, one patient and his father.

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

After a night takeoff, while climbing to a height of 600 pieds, the aircraft christened 'Fitzroy' nosed down and plunged into the earth, crashing in a huge explosion with flaps and undercarriage retracted. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 18 occupants were killed.

Lockheed 10 Electra

Shortly after takeoff from Broome Airfield, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a mangrove located in Roebuck Creek, near the airport. While all three crew members were slightly injured, the aircraft was written off.

De Havilland DH.86 Express

This was its inaugural MMA service, from Perth to Geraldton and Carnarvon. After refueling at Geraldton, the takeoff appeared normal but the aircraft did not climb and turned back for a landing. It flew low over RAAF hangars at about 300 feet then made a steep turn to port, followed by a wide low circuit back to the runway with port wing low. When just inside the aerodrome boundary, it dropped heavily on the starboard main undercarriage, bounced, contacted the ground with the tail wheel and bounced again. Striking the ground for the third time, this time on the port main wheel, as it bounced higher, engine power was applied but the aircraft swung to the left, banking steeply until the left wings were torn off by ground contact. The aircraft cartwheeled and hit the ground nose-first. The fuselage broke up, spilling out most of the 11 occupants. Captain Branch and one passenger were killed, the other 9 occupants seriously injured. Crew: H. J. Branch, pilot, Don W. Rumney, copilot. Source: http://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/dh86/dh86.html

De Havilland DH.84 Dragon

Shortly after take off from Broome Airport, while climbing, the aircraft stalled and crashed in flames. While all four occupants were slightly injured, the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.

De Havilland DH.60 Moth

Crashed upon landing in Ord River for unknown circumstances. While the passenger was killed, the pilot was seriously injured.