Melbourne - Cairns

On January 26, 1944 at 12:00 AM, Melbourne - Cairns experienced a crash involving De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide, operated by Australian National Airways - ANA, with the event recorded near Cape Sidmouth Queensland.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.

6 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 6 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 4, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

En route, crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing for unknown reason. Aircraft ended up on a beach located 13 miles south of Cape Sidmouth, near the Princess Charlotte Bay. The crew of a RAAF Catalina spotted the aircraft a day later and was able to land and to evacuate all six occupants uninjured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Aircraft reference details include registration VH-ADE, MSN 6341.