What happened
During a takeoff attempt on a sloped runway, a Junkers Ju 52 operated by GSA experienced a sudden failure of the port engine. The aircraft was transporting a significant weight of sawn timber at the time of the incident. As the plane approached liftoff, the loss of power in the left engine caused the aircraft to veer sharply to the left and begin rolling toward the Qantas terminal building and an adjacent freight shed.
As the aircraft moved toward the structures, it struck the terminal building. The impact of the port wing through the wooden construction led to a collapse of the roof. The momentum of the Junkers Ju 52 carried it onto a nearby road, during which time the rear section of the fuselage was severed. The structural damage was extensive, resulting in the fuselage breaking into three distinct pieces and approximately 12 feet of the port wing being destroyed.
Findings
Investigations concluded that the primary factor in the accident was the sudden loss of power in the port engine during the critical takeoff phase. The specific reason for the engine failure remained undetermined.