What happened
During a night training mission, a formation of thirteen aircraft conducted a navigation exercise over the sea. The specific incident involved an aircraft operating out of Bairnsdale base. As weather conditions deteriorated, with low cloud banks rolling in from the coast and enveloping the area, the pilot reported that certain navigation procedures could not be completed. Base instructed all aircraft to return.
While other aircraft managed to land at Bairnsdale, this particular crew found Eastern Victoria completely covered by clouds. The pilot calculated they had approximately thirty minutes of fuel remaining and attempted to locate a landing site. After identifying lights that turned out to be a stationary train rather than a flare path, the pilot began climbing. At an altitude of roughly 2,000 feet, the starboard engine failed. The crew initiated emergency egress procedures just before the port engine also cut out.
The aircraft entered a crash landing sequence, striking four trees and sustaining significant damage to both wings, rendering it a write-off. One crew member, Sergeant D.J. McLeod, ejected at low altitude and was killed in the incident. The pilot and two other crew members survived but sustained injuries. The accident occurred approximately two miles north of Rosedale.
Findings
The Court of Enquiry attributed the crash primarily to fuel exhaustion exacerbated by severe weather conditions. The pilot’s testimony indicated that a low cloud bank, extending down to the deck and reaching up to 2,000 feet, prevented visual navigation and forced the crew into a situation where they ran out of options before finding a suitable landing area.