What happened
During a local training flight departing from runway 30 at Canberra Airport, the aircraft experienced a loss of power in its left engine. Following this mechanical failure, the crew encountered difficulties with the regulator, which prevented them from successfully shutting down the malfunctioning engine or feathering the propeller.
As the pilot-in-command proceeded south toward the Mt Pleasant area, the aircraft became uncontrollable. The plane subsequently crashed into a site at Duntroon, located to the west of the airport, and caught fire upon impact. The aircraft, an unidentified type, was completely destroyed during the accident. There were four fatalities among the crew members on board.
Findings
Investigations determined that the primary factor in the accident was the loss of power in the left engine immediately following takeoff.