Trans Australia Airlines - TAA

Fokker F27 Friendship

The crew as completing a local training flight at Amberley Airport. On final approach, the instructor simulated a left engine failure. The airplane lost height on short final, went into a nose-down attitude and landed hard. The nose gear collapsed and the left engine partially detached. The airplane veered off runway and came to rest. While all three crew members escaped uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

The crew was completing a cargo flight from Madang to Mendi. While approaching Mendi Airstrip, a failure of the hydraulic system forced the crew to return to Madang for a safe landing. After touchdown, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and came to rest in a lake. All three occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The hydraulic failure caused the braking system to be inoperable.

De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter

The airplane departed Goroka at 0852LT and continued to Kainantu at an altitude of 7,500 feet. While approaching the destination, weather conditions deteriorated and the visibility was limited due to low clouds. The captain decided to continue and started the approach when the airplane struck a tree and crashed 5 km from the airfield. Both pilots and six passengers were killed while three others were injured.

Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina

Damaged on landing off Daru and sank. All 11 occupants were rescued while the aircraft was written off.

De Havilland DHC-3 Otter

While cruising at an altitude of 8,000 feet on a cargo flight, the single engine airplane struck the ground and crashed near the Nebilyer Valley, about 65 km from Mount Hagen. Both occupants were killed.

De Havilland DHC-3 Otter

En route, the engine failed, forcing the crew to ditch the aircraft off the Samarai Island. After landing, the airplane drifted to rocks and was damaged beyond repair. All nine occupants were uninjured.

Douglas DC-4

The crew was completing a cargo flight from Sydney to Brisbane. On short final in good weather conditions, the four engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances. The wreckage was found few hours later at Bulwer Island, about 1,5 km southeast of runway 01 threshold. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and both pilots were killed.

Fokker F27 Friendship

The Fokker F-27 aircraft was on a regular passenger flight from Brisbane (BNE) to Mackay (MKY) via Maryborough (MBH) and Rockhampton (ROK). The aircraft departed Brisbane at 17:11 and arrived at Maryborough at 17:52. It then took off at 18:12 on the next portion of the trip to Rockhampton where it landed without incident one hour later. Just prior to the landing at Rockhampton, the aircraft was advised of a special weather report which indicated shallow ground fog at Mackay to a height of 20 ft with a visibility of 880 yd, and also that an alternate aerodrome would be required for the rest of the flight. The flight departed Rockhampton at 19:52. On departure the air traffic controller at Mackay was advised that the expected flight time to Mackay was 52 minutes at an altitude of 13000 ft, that Townsville had been selected as the alternate. At 20:17 the aircraft reported at the prescribed reporting point, Charon Point, 80 miles south of Mackay at 130000 ft and gave its estimated time of arrival at Mackay as 20:40. It was advised that Mackay Airport was closed to landings at that time, and the situation remained the same when the aircraft reached the point at which it would normally have commenced its descent to Mackay. The captain indicated that he would continue the flight at 13000 ft and would hold over Mackay at that altitude. At 20:45 the ATC Officer advised the pilot that visibility was fluctuating between 2 and 2-1/2 miles along runway 14/32. The pilot replied that the airport lighting, the city area, and the surrounding country could be clearly seen, but that a belt of fog extending about 10 miles was situated to the southwest of the airport and was moving in a slightly northeasterly direction across the airport. The pilot then requested landing instructions. The aircraft was cleared to make a visual approach with a view to landing on runway 14. He reported on final approach, and at 20:55 the aircraft was cleared to land. As the aircraft approached close to the runway threshold at a height of about 50 feet, the pilot advised that a small patch of fog had suddenly appeared on the approach to the runway. It then flew along the runway at a height of approximately 50 ft and commenced to climb away. The pilot advised that he would look at the approach to runway 32. The ATC Officer next observed the aircraft descending to approach runway 32. It reached a height of approximately 200 ft, but before crossing the threshold it began to climb along the line of the runway, and the pilot requested permission to hold over Mackay at 5000 ft until an improvement in the weather occurred. This procedure was approved. The aircraft continued to hold over Mackay until about 22:00. At approximately 22:02 the ATC Officer noted the conditions improved rapidly and visibility was continually improving. When the aircraft was thus informed, it replied: "Roger tower, will commence let down to approach on runway 32". The aircraft was cleared for a visual approach and was given the wind (calm) and QNH (1019 mb) and was asked to report on final approach. Nothing more was heard from the flight. During the approach the airplane contacted the sea and crashed, some 12 km short of the runway.

Vickers Viscount

The crew (pilots and engineers) were engaged in a local training flight at Mangalore Airport, Victoria. During the takeoff roll on runway 22, after it reached V1 speed, the instructor shut down the engine number four and feathered its propeller to simulate an engine failure. The pilot-in-command continued the takeoff procedure. Shortly after rotation, the aircraft turned to the right and reached the height of 100 feet when it stalled and crashed in flames in a field located less than one km west of the airfield. Five crew members were injured (three of them seriously) while three pilots were killed. The aircraft was destroyed. The takeoff from which the accident resulted was being attempted in the most critical three-engine configuration, i.e. with number 4 engine (starboard outer) inoperative. In this configuration, with flaps extended 20° and the three engines on full power, a minimum speed of 96 knots is necessary in order to ensure that, using both rudder and aileron, a constant heading can be maintained. When flying under these conditions at speeds below 96 knots it is not possible to keep the aircraft from turning. The takeoff safety speed for the conditions existing at the time of this accident is given in the flight manual for Viscount VH-TVA as 106 knots and it has been the practice of Trans- Australia Airlines to teach its pilots not to lift the aircraft off the ground at speeds below 110 knots in a three-engine takeoff. It has been calculated that with normal acceleration in a three-engine take-off the speed of the aircraft when it left the runway would have been 85 to 90 knots which was too low.

De Havilland DH.84 Dragon

Shortly after takeoff from Cheviot Hill Aerodrome, while climbing to a height of 50 feet, the aircraft nosed down and crashed. The pilot Captain Martin Garrett and a passegner, Mrs. Kathleen O'Leary were killed. The Doctor Mr. O'Leary was injured while two other passengers, Mrs. King Lethbridge and her child were uninjured. The aircraft was involved in an ambulance flight to Charter Towers on behalf of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

De Havilland Australia DHA-3 Drover

Shortly after takeoff from Mooraberrie, while in initial climb, the centre engine lost power. Shortly later, the port engine also lost power completely and the pilot made a landing off the airfield straight ahead and ran through a fence. The touchdown was heavy and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. All three occupants were unhurt but the aircraft was later considered as damaged beyond repair. Source & photo: www.goodall.com.au

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Shortly after takeoff from Hobart Airport, while in initial climb, the crew started a turn at low height when the aircraft stalled and crashed into the Barilla Bay, less than 3 km from the airfield. Both crew members were killed.