De Havilland Australia DHA-3 Drover

Air-Rep Service

Upon landing on a grassy runway on Trefoil Island, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway, lost its undercarriage and came to a halt. Both occupants were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Air Melanesiæ

After touchdown at Longaga Airstrip (runway is 700 meters long), the pilot encountered difficulties to stop within the remaining distance. The aircraft overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest. All nine occupants were slightly injured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair and abandoned.

Air Melanesiæ

The three engine aircraft departed Lenakel Airstrip (Tanna Island) on a flight to Ipao, Futuna Island, Vanuatu. En route, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and as the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were conducted. Three days later, the burned wreckage was found in a gorge located on Mt Tokugmera (1,084 meters high) located in the center of Tanna Island. All eight occupants were killed, including the airline's Chief Pilot and Operations Manager, Paul H. Burton.

Royal Flying Doctor Service - RFDS

Take off was abandoned when, in moderate quartering wind, the pilot was unable to maintain directional control. The aircraft moved sideways off the strip and both undercarriage struts were torn away after striking rocks. All three occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Northern Territory Medical Services

Crash location was 57 miles south of Camooweal near the NT/Queensland border. TAA Captain Richard Paul was relieving TAA Captain Harry Moss as resident NTMS pilot at Alice Springs, NT. Paul had just departed Camooweal to return to Alice Springs, carrying the doctor and nurse. They had been asked to look out for a missing stockman on horseback. Some 40 miles out of Camooweal, the pilot sighted a lone horseman. Preparations were being made in the circling aircraft to drop a message in order to establish the rider’s identity when the aircraft struck level ground near the Border Fence and slid some 85 metres before coming to rest in a substantially damaged condition. The horse rider ignored the circling aircraft and rode away, unaware the aircraft had crashed. An RFDS Drover and ground parties reached the site later the same day. The two passengers were returned to Camooweal in a vehicle. However Dick Paul needed urgent medical attention, and was flown to Mount Isa hospital by the RFDS Drover. His condition required urgent transfer to Brisbane, and no airline flight was available. A BOAC Britannia on scheduled service Darwin-Brisbane agreed to divert to collect him but Mount Isa runways were unsuitable and nearest location with required runway length was Cloncurry. A TAA DC-3 carried him from Mount Isa to Cloncurry, but the Britannia's main wheels broke through the taxiway surface pavement after landing. It was unable to move. With no other choice, Captain Paul was re-loaded on board the TAA DC-3 which then took him to Brisbane, where he recovered in hospital. The Britannia was stranded at Cloncurry for 3 days and its passengers accommodated with families in town. Source: http://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/drover/drover.htm

Fiji Airways

The pilot, Captain Brian McCook, left Suva-Nausori Airport at 0756LT Bound for Nadi. Enroute, while cruising at low altitude, the airplane hit trees and crashed in a gorge called Wainivatumbuso, near Nasauvere. Bleeding heavily from gashes to his face and legs, he walked through dense undergrowth until found by a native out pig hunting. The aircraft was written off.

Fiji Airways

While cruising at an altitude of 2,500 feet on a flight from Savusavu to Suva, the pilot switched the fuel tank selector when all three engines lost power. He attempted an emergency landing on a sandbar on Bau Island but all undercarriage collapsed on landing and the aircraft came to rest. All eight occupants evacuated the cabin safely while the aircraft was later damaged beyond repair by salty water. Source & photos via http://www.goodall.com.au

Australian Government

The pilot, Captain Clarrie R. Hibbert (Acting Regional Director of Papua-New Guinea) was flying a departmental Drover three engine aircraft from Wewak to Momote. While cruising about 90 miles from its destination, part of a propeller blade on the port engine flew off and penetrated the cockpit, knocking the pilot unconscious and smashing his left foot. One of the passenger succeeded in dragging the pilot from his seat and in leveling out the aircraft and ditching it. With the other passenger's help he got the pilot into the rubber dinghy and, using its 'Gibson Girl' emergency beacon, attracted a Qantas DC-3 which, in turn, led an RAAF crash launch to rescue the three men who had then been adrift for ten hours. The aircraft sank in deep water and was a total loss.

Trans Australia Airlines - TAA

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

Qantas Airways - Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services

The three engine aircraft left Bulolo at 0835LT bound for Lae. 31 minutes later, while approaching Lae Airport, the pilot informed ground about his position over the mouth of Markham River. While flying in a visibility of two miles due to rain falls, the pilot lost control of the aircraft that crashed in to the Huon Gulf, about four miles south of Lae Airport. Some debris were found around noon and all seven occupants were killed, among them the pilot Captain J. W. Spiers. Source: http://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/drover/drover.htm