Alice Springs – Daly Waters – Batchelor
Flight / Schedule
Alice Springs – Daly Waters – Batchelor
Aircraft
Douglas C-39 (DC-2)Registration
38-505
MSN
2062
Year of Manufacture
1939
Date
May 25, 1942 at 03:57 AM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Military
Flight Phase
Takeoff (climb)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Crash Location
Alice Springs Northern Territory
Region
Oceania • Australia
Coordinates
-23.7003°, 133.8804°
Crash Cause
Other causes
Narrative Report
On May 25, 1942 at 03:57 AM, Alice Springs – Daly Waters – Batchelor experienced a crash involving Douglas C-39 (DC-2), operated by United States Army Air Forces - USAAF, with the event recorded near Alice Springs Northern Territory.
The flight was categorized as military and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.
9 people were known to be on board, 9 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.
Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 5, passenger fatalities: 5, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is other causes. Due to poor weather conditions, the captain decided to postpone the departure for more than three hours. Two minutes after take off, while climbing by night, the aircraft stalled and crashed in flames in a desert area located few hundred yards from the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and post crash fire, and all nine occupants were killed. Crew (21st Troop Carrier Squadron): 2nd Lt Russell L. Callison, 2nd Lt William A. O'Neill, Pvt Martin J. Law, Pvt Rolfe M. Smith. Passengers: 2nd Lt Aubrey Lawless Tobias, F/Lt Duncan Matheson, LAC James Emmanuel Skillen 2.
Aircraft reference details include registration 38-505, MSN 2062, year of manufacture 1939.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -23.7003°, 133.8804°.
Fatalities
Total
9
Crew
4
Passengers
5
Other
0
Crash Summary
Due to poor weather conditions, the captain decided to postpone the departure for more than three hours. Two minutes after take off, while climbing by night, the aircraft stalled and crashed in flames in a desert area located few hundred yards from the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and post crash fire, and all nine occupants were killed. Crew (21st Troop Carrier Squadron): 2nd Lt Russell L. Callison, 2nd Lt William A. O'Neill, Pvt Martin J. Law, Pvt Rolfe M. Smith. Passengers: 2nd Lt Aubrey Lawless Tobias, F/Lt Duncan Matheson, LAC James Emmanuel Skillen 2.
Cause: Other causes
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
4
Passengers On Board
5
Estimated Survivors
0
Fatality Rate
100.0%
Known people on board: 9
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Alice Springs – Daly Waters – Batchelor
Flight Type
Military
Flight Phase
Takeoff (climb)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Region / Country
Oceania • Australia
Aircraft Details
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