No fatalities

Engine Failure After Takeoff Leads to Accident on Centre Dandenong Road (VH-BKZ)

Melbourne-Moorabbin, AustraliaTakeoff (climb)

On January 17, 1953, an Avro 652 Anson (registration VH-BKZ) operated by Adastra Airways - Adastra Aerial Surveys was involved in an aviation accident near Melbourne-Moorabbin, Australia during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Engine failure at rotation. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 5 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards
Aircraft registered VH-BKZ
Aircraft registered VH-BKZ. Photo: Bidgee / CC BY-SA 3.0 au, via Wikimedia Commons

Shortly after takeoff, a twin-engine aircraft suffered an engine failure, causing it to cross Centre Dandenong Road beneath 20-foot-high telephone wires, then strike an earth embankment and two fences. All three crew members were slightly injured; the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Accident Sequence

Shortly after takeoff, the twin-engine aircraft experienced an engine failure. As a result, the aircraft crossed Centre Dandenong Road, passing beneath the 20-foot-high telephone wires that were strung along each side of the road. The aircraft then struck an earth embankment and two fences, which caused the port wing to be torn off. The failure occurred at a critical phase of flight, shortly after lift-off, leading to the sequence of events. The accident sequence was limited to the area around the road and the embankment.

Injuries and Damage

All three crew members on board received slight injuries. The aircraft sustained damage that rendered it beyond repair, with the port wing separated from the fuselage.

Probable Cause

The official probable cause was determined to be an engine failure at rotation.