Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) accident at Rewan, Australia, 16 Nov 1943 (42-23420)

Accident narrative

The aircraft christened 'Pushy Cat' left Batchelor Airfield in the Northern Territory at 0730LT bound for Archerfield Airport in Brisbane with intermediate stops in Gorrie, Daly Waters and Cloncurry. The aircraft was unable to land at Gorrie because the airfield was out of order, so the crew landed at Daly Waters where additional passengers were picked up. The aircraft arrived in Cloncurry at 1245LT where three more Australian soldiers boarded the aircraft. En route from Cloncurry to Brisbane, the aircraft went through a thunderstorm area, broke up in mid-air and crashed in the Carnarvon canyon located southwest of Rewan. The wreckage was found two days later and all 19 occupants were killed. Crew (21st Transport Group: 2nd Lt Raymond E. Anglin, pilot, 2nd Lt Joseph W. Kennedy, copilot, Sgt Frank J. Ropinski, flight engineer, Sgt Harold L. Baumstein, radio operator. Passengers: Sgt Robert L. Adkins, F/Lt Roy Edgar Abbot, F/Lt Albert Ernest Watkin, Sgt Ronald Keith Pitchford, Cpl William Brady, Cpl Francis Paul Morris, LAC John Given Maxwell, LAC Stanley Kirk Sims, Lt Harley Horace Lockie, Lt Ross Rowsell, Sgt Victor Frederick Bishop, Sgt Thomas William Davey, Sgt William Joseph Parker, Pvt William Howard Dorman, Pvt Andrew Henry Mildren.

Probable cause (official findings): Heavy turbulence in a low-pressure area caused excessive forces on the structure of the aircraft that broke in mid-air and crashed.