No fatalities

Aircraft accident at Kerowagi Airfield during takeoff roll (VH-BBZ)

Kerowagi, Papua New GuineaTakeoff (climb)

On May 11, 1949, an Avro 652 Anson (registration VH-BBZ) operated by Qantas Airways - Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services was involved in an aviation accident near Kerowagi, Papua New Guinea during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The accident was caused by the collapse of the left main landing gear after it struck a drain on the runway surface during the takeoff roll. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-05Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft suffered a main gear collapse after striking a drain during a downwind takeoff roll at Kerowagi Airfield, resulting in substantial damage and minor pilot injury.

What happened

The incident occurred while the aircraft was executing a downwind takeoff roll at Kerowagi Airfield. During this phase of flight, the left main landing gear struck a drainage structure on the runway surface. The impact caused the gear assembly to collapse immediately.

Following the structural failure, the pilot lost control of the aircraft. The machine veered off the paved runway to the left and eventually came to a complete stop outside the designated takeoff area. The pilot sustained minor injuries during the event. The aircraft sustained damage that was assessed as beyond repair.

Probable cause

The accident was caused by the collapse of the left main landing gear after it struck a drain on the runway surface during the takeoff roll.