Townsville - Townsville

On February 27, 1942 at 06:02 PM, Townsville - Townsville experienced a crash involving Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat, operated by Royal Australian Air Force - RAAF, with the event recorded near Townsville Queensland.

The flight was categorized as test and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

11 people were known to be on board, 6 fatalities were recorded, 5 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 54.5%.

Crew on board: 11, crew fatalities: 6, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The crew was involved in an 50 hours inspection flight. While approaching Townsville, the seaplane christened 'Coogee' hit the water surface and crashed in the Cleveland Bay. Six crew members were killed while all five other occupants were injured. Crew killed: F/O Robert John Love, pilot, † P/O Harold John Wagner, pilot, † LAC Maurice Clayton, † Cpl William James French, † P/O Peter Satterswaite Devonshire, † Sgt John Gordon Nicholson. †

Aircraft reference details include registration A18-12, MSN S.849, year of manufacture 1938.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -19.3201°, 146.7237°.