5 fatalities

Disappearance of Twin-Engine Aircraft on Flight from Sydney to Wagga Wagga (A34-47)

Burragorang Valley, AustraliaFlight

On April 17, 1943, a De Havilland DH.84 Dragon (registration A34-47) operated by Royal Australian Air Force - RAAF was involved in an aviation accident near Burragorang Valley, Australia in flight. 5 people were killed. 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

A twin-engine aircraft vanished during a flight from Sydney-Mascot to Wagga Wagga Airport. Despite extensive search efforts, no wreckage or survivors were located, with the Burragorang Valley suspected as the crash site.

What happened

The twin engine airplane departed Sydney-Mascot bound for Wagga Wagga Airport (RAAF Forest Hill) but failed to arrive. The aircraft subsequently disappeared from radar and communication contact. Large-scale air and ground search operations were immediately launched to locate the missing machine and its occupants. Despite these extensive efforts, no trace of the airplane or any of the personnel on board was ever recovered. Investigators believe the aircraft likely crashed in the Burragorang Valley region. It is possible that the wreckage became submerged beneath the waters of Warragamba Dam, which would explain why physical evidence has not been found.

Findings

The specific cause of the disappearance remains unconfirmed due to the lack of recovered wreckage or debris. The primary conclusion drawn from the search operations is that the aircraft likely met its fate in the Burragorang Valley area. The potential submersion under Warragamba Dam is cited as a plausible explanation for the total absence of physical traces during the investigation.