What happened
A medical transport mission originating from Iron Range on Cape York ended in an emergency ditching near Brooke Island. The flight, operated by ANA for the Cairns Ambulance Transport Brigade, was tasked with retrieving a patient who required medical attention following a snakebite. On board the de Havilland DH.89 Rapide were the pilot, an ambulance bearer, and the patient.
During the flight, the aircraft encountered dense, low-level cloud cover north of Cairns. Because the conditions were neither suitable for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) nor Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), the pilot was unable to establish a navigational fix on Cairns and was subsequently redirected toward a more southerly heading. During this period, the aircraft experienced fuel exhaustion in the vicinity of Hinchinbrook Island.
At approximately 9:48 pm, a radio transmission was received indicating the crew was lost and low on fuel. Seven minutes later, a second message confirmed the aircraft was being ditched. While the ambulance bearer managed to exit the sinking wreckage uninjured and was rescued by a freighter six hours later, the pilot sustained leg injuries and was unable to remain afloat. The patient perished during the accident.
Findings
- The aircraft failed to remain buoyant after impact with the water.
- The pilot was not wearing a life jacket at the time of the ditching.