Charleville – Quilpie – Windorah – Waverney – Morney – Mooraberrie – Leigh Creek

On January 11, 1952 at 12:00 AM, Charleville – Quilpie – Windorah – Waverney – Morney – Mooraberrie – Leigh Creek experienced a crash involving De Havilland Australia DHA-3 Drover, operated by Trans Australia Airlines - TAA, with the event recorded near Mooraberrie Queensland.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

3 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 3 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 2, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. 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

Aircraft reference details include registration VH-DRD, MSN 5010, year of manufacture 1951.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -25.3441°, 140.2187°.