Alice Springs - Ayres Rock

On January 20, 1972 at 07:45 AM, Alice Springs - Ayres Rock experienced a crash involving Beechcraft 80 Queen Air, operated by Connair, with the event recorded near Alice Springs Northern Territory.

The flight was categorized as charter/taxi (non scheduled revenue flight) and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a plain, valley crash site.

7 people were known to be on board, 7 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 6, passenger fatalities: 6, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. At approximately 0745 hours Central Standard Time on 20 January 1972, there was an in-flight fire in a Beech 65-80 Queen Air aircraft, registered VH-CMI, which resulted in the separation of the starboard engine and the starboard outer wing. The aircraft subsequently struck the ground some seven miles south-west of Alice Springs Airport in the Northern Territory. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was engaged in operating a charter flight for the purpose of carrying passengers, mail and freight from Alice Springs to Ayers Rock. The aircraft was destroyed by fire and impact forces and the pilot and the six passengers were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration VH-CMI, MSN LD-12, year of manufacture 1962.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -23.7003°, 133.8804°.