What happened
The flight began with a departure from Sale toward Bathurst and Richmond. During the initial leg, the starboard engine lost power, though the crew managed to land safely at Canberra. The following morning, the DC-3, registration A65-50, departed Canberra for East Sale Airbase. Shortly before passing Mt Kosciuszko, the starboard engine failed a second time. This subsequent failure caused a rapid loss of altitude and subjected the aircraft to intense turbulence.
Faced with an inability to maintain flight on a single engine while navigating rugged terrain, the crew attempted a forced landing in a flat area within the forested mountains. The approach was complicated by the need to clear a ridge, which resulted in excessive airspeed and altitude for the available landing space. The pilot also had to navigate a gully containing the Murray River amidst severe weather conditions. In an attempt to mitigate the impact, the pilot steered the aircraft toward a cluster of trees, hoping they would absorb the force of the crash.
Upon impact, the aircraft struck the timber and skewed. A large eucalyptus tree struck the cockpit area, causing the death of one crew member. The port wing was torn from the airframe, and debris from the propeller penetrated the fuselage. Of the four crew members, one fatality occurred at the scene, while the remaining three survived with various injuries.
Following the crash, a distress signal sent by the crew was received, prompting an immediate RAAF search operation. The survivors took shelter in the ruins of an old stockman's hut during harsh weather. An RAAF aircraft located the group approximately one hour after the accident. Subsequent ground rescue efforts, involving both police and RAAF personnel, navigated dense vegetation and difficult terrain to reach the site and transport the survivors and the deceased back to safety.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the failure of the starboard engine during flight.