What happened
During a scheduled cargo operation traveling from Sydney to Brisbane, a four-engine aircraft went down while on short final approach. The incident occurred under favorable weather conditions. Shortly after the disappearance, wreckage was located at Bulwer Island, situated approximately 1.5 km southeast of the threshold for runway 01.
The impact and subsequent post-crash fire resulted in the total destruction of the airframe. Both the pilot and the co-pilot sustained fatal injuries during the event.
Findings
Investigations into the accident revealed that the crash took place while the aircraft was in the pre-landing circuit. The investigation determined that the captain experienced a sudden medical emergency involving disordered cardiac function. While attempting to move from his seat, the captain collapsed onto the engine control console. This physical movement caused all four throttle levers to be moved into the closed position. Consequently, the first officer was unable to manipulate the throttles to maintain sufficient power to prevent the aircraft from striking the ground outside the airport perimeter.