No fatalities

Aircraft collision with terrain near Toowoomba Airport (A34-49)

Toowoomba, AustraliaLanding (descent or approach)

On March 2, 1943, a De Havilland DH.84 Dragon (registration A34-49) operated by Royal Australian Air Force - RAAF was involved in an aviation accident near Toowoomba, Australia during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Collision with terrain caused by poor visibility from low clouds during approach. 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 crashed into trees in a valley east of Toowoomba Airfield after encountering low clouds during approach, resulting in injuries to both occupants and total loss of the airframe.

What happened

During an approach to Toowoomba Airport, the pilot encountered deteriorating visibility caused by low-hanging clouds. The aircraft descended below a safe altitude and struck trees before impacting the ground in a valley within Redwood Park, located approximately 7 km east of the airfield. Both individuals on board sustained injuries, and the airplane was destroyed by a post-crash fire.

Findings

The primary contributing factor to the accident was the pilot's encounter with poor visibility due to low clouds during the approach phase, which led to the aircraft colliding with terrain.

Probable cause

Collision with terrain caused by poor visibility from low clouds during approach.