ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 28328
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Tuesday 20 October 1953 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | de Havilland DH.84 Dragon Mk II |
| Owner/operator: | Trans Australia Airlines (TAA) |
| Registration: | VH-URY |
| MSN: | 6082 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Cheviot Hills Station, QLD -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Ambulance |
| Departure airport: | Cheviot Hills, Queensland |
| Charters Towers, Queensland | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
c/no 6082: Built Hatfield as production Dragon II
12.7.34: First flight at Hatfield, Herfordshire, UK
13.7.34: British C of A issued to VH-URY: De Havilland Aircraft Pty Ltd, Mascot, Sydney NSW VH-URW, VH-URX & VH- URY imported by De Havilland Aircraft Pty Ltd, Sydney for MacRobertson-Miller Aviation Co Ltd
17.8.34: All 3 arrived Fremantle by ship from England. Taken to Mayland aerodrome for assembly
6.9.34: Test flown at Maylands after assembly. Colour scheme was dark royal blue, silver wings & tail.
7.9.34: Registration application: MacRobertson-Miller Aviation Co Ltd, Maylands Aerodrome, Perth WA
11.9.34: Registered VH-URY. Named 'Murchison', 8 passenger seats, C of A issued same day
31.10.34: Log book MacRobertson-Miller Aviation Co Ltd pilot Bert Hussey: flown Ord River Station-Halls Creek-Fitzroy Crossing-Nookenbah Station-Derby-Broome (overnight). Port Hedland-Onslow (overnight) Cararvon-Geraldton arrived 2.11.34.
7.11.34: Crashed Halls Creek WA due to an engine failure soon after takeoff. Pilot George McCausland made forced landing near the airfield on to ground covered with trees and stumps. Pilot and only passenger Jim Collopy, CAB Aircraft Inspector based at Perth, were unhurt. Extensively damaged.
11.34: Horrie Miller flew from Perth to Halls Creek and repaired the aircraft alone over a 4 week period in the open in extremely high temperatures, using minimal tools. Miller brought a tent and cooking utensils and camped at the aerodrome, 12 miles from town. He could only work from first light until Noon when the airframe became too hot to handle. Miller became ill from drinking boire water and later collapsed from sunstroke, being found by chance by a local who took him to the Mission hospital. The plywood lining of Bushels Tea chests were used to fabricate sections of the nose!
12.34: Over the Christmas period, Horrie Miller flew VH-URY back to Perth for complete rebuild
5.4.35: Struck a fence while taxiing down-wind at Port Hedland WA, pilot H. J. "Jim" Branch. Parts of VH-URW (u/s at Wyndham at the time) were removed and flown to Port Hedland to assist in a quick repair.
29.10.36: Minor damage at Maylands when engine failure during takeoff resulted in the aircraft rolling into a drain on boundary of airfield. MacRobertson-Miller Aviation Co Ltd pilot George McCausland was unhurt. His wife drove a car across the aerodrome to the aircraft and her car was struck by Aero Club DH.60 Moth VH-UAO which was landing and aircraft overturned. Nobody hurt.
21.11.36: Damaged in forced landing at Ord River Station WA due fuel vapor lock. Landed on rocky terrain, damaged port wing and engine mountings, pilot Cecil R. Clarke unhurt.
13.8.38: Change of ownership: Airlines (WA) Ltd, Perth WA. Named 'RMA Murchison'
8.38: MacRobertson-Miller Aviation Co Ltd senior pilot Bob Hickson endorsed on the Dragon at Maylands by Horrie Miller. Hickson, who had only flown single-engined aircraft, later recalled: "Horrie Miller and I walked around the Dragon and he showed me what to pre-flight check. He then put me in the pilot's seat and stood behind me in the cabin while I taxied out to the perimeter and gave me some advice on asymmetic performance. I took off, made one circuit of Maylands, landed and taxied in. Horrie congratulated me on gaining my endorsement on the type, got out, eight passengers got in and off I went to the Goldfields." (In fact, Hickson's log shows he flew his first DH.84 service the following day, Perth-Kalgoorlie-Perth)
8.38: Flown by MacRobertson-Miller Aviation Co Ltd on scheduled services to Wiluna and Kalgoorlie, 8 passenger seats. The Dragon was able to carry freight and mail as well as a full passenger load of 8.
10.39: Airlines (WA) Ltd was advised by Director of Civil Aviation that its Dragon VH-URY would be impressed for RAAF training duties due to the war situation. Captain Charles Snook, company founder and manager, protested vigorously, saying he only had the Dragon and a Stinson Reliant and loss of the Dragon would force him to cease most of his airline services in WA
31.10.39: Charles Snook departed Maylands for Melbourne flying the Airlines (WA) Ltd Stinson Reliant VH-UTW 'RMA Meekatharra'. He appealed to bureaucrats and politicians to spare his Dragon from impressment. He was unsuccessful. However the Director of Civil Avaiation agreed to locate a replacement aircraft for the Dragon. (It was DH.90 Dragonfly VH-ADG delivered to Perth in July 1940). However the DH.90 could only carry 4 passengers compared to the Dragon’s 8 passengers.
3.11.39: Total flying time on airframe at this date 4,066 hours
6.7.40: Impressed by Australian Government for RAAF. Impressment Requisition No.12537 from Airlines(WA) Ltd.
15.7.40: Brought on RAAF charge as A34-6. Taken over from Airlines Ltd. Allotted Guinea Airways, Parafield for modifications
16.7.40: VH-URY flew its last service with Airlines (WA) Ltd.
18.7.40: Delivered to RAAF at 1EFTS, Parafield by Airlines (WA) Ltd's Managing Director Charles Snook.
22.7.40: Struck-off Civil register
23.7.40: Overhaul for RAAF at Parafield by Guinea Airways
4.10.40: Work at Guinea Airways delayed due to lack of spare parts
31.10.40: Airlines (WA) Ltd's Managing Director Captain Charles Snook departed Maylands for Melbourne flying the company Stinson Reliant VH-UTW to lobby bureaucrats and politicians for the return of their Dragon. Its impressment had caused severe problems maintaining services to outback WA. He was unsuccessful. Director of Civil Aviation had already arranged for DH.90 Dragonfly VH-ADG to be made available to Airlines to replace VH-URY. The Dragonfly was delivered to Perth in July 1940 but could only carry 4 passengers.
29.4.41: Allotted 3 EFTS RAAF ex Guinea Airways for issue to ANA for engine overhaul and instrument mods.
30.4.41: Ready for ferrying to Essendon, Melbourne, Victoria
7.5.41: Director of Civil Aviation memo: "A34-6 formerly VH-URY due to arrive at Essendon from Parafield for completion of conversion and engine work at ANA workshops Essendon".
10.5.41: Arrived 3 EFTS ex 1 EFTS
12.5.41: Issued ANA ex 3 EFTS
29.5.41: Received 1 Aircraft Depot ex 3 EFTS
12.7.41: Received 2 Air Observers School RAAF Mount Gambier ex-1 Aircraft Depot
31.7.41: Forced landing Mount Macintyre, 25 miles South-West of Mount Gambier, no damage. On charge with 2 Air Observers School. Pilot & 2 crew unhurt.
20.8.41: Struck a truck on landing at Mount Gambier SA, swung and struck tree. Time in RAAF service 155 hours.
1941/42: Wrecked aircraft held in storage by No. 2 Air Observers School at RAAF Mount Gambier for 18 months. Airfame was allover silver with yellow band around fuselage and wings.
25.1.43: Rebuild at 2 Air Observers School under way at RAAF Mount Gambier
20.5.43: Allotted to Department of Civil Aviation for Flying Doctor Service Cloncurry ex 2 Air Observers School. Hudson Fysh wrote in his book “Qantas Rising”: “Of course there was continual pressure for a better and more reliable type of aircraft. The Fox Moth came into use – smaller, cheaper, easier to get in and out of bad grounds, more reliable, but still single-engined. Then in 1943 the Charleville centre was opened by the Flying Doctor Service. Doug Tennant was the pilot and we supplied a twin-engined DH Dragon aeroplane. Progress was being made.”
24.5.43: Issued to Director of Civil Aviation ex-2 Air Observer School
24.5.43: Arrrived Essendon, Melbourne ferried to Brisbane, Queensland
5.6.43: Registration application: Qantas Empire Airways Ltd, Archerfield Queensland. Operated for Flying Doctor Service of Australia (Queensland Section). To be converted to air ambulance
14.6.43: Restored to civil Register as VH-URY. Named 'John Flynn'
20.8.43: Delivered to Cloncurry for Flying Doctor Service. Operated in camouflage at first, Qantas Empire Airline titles and name 'John Flynn' painted over the camouflage
4.10.43: Damaged on landing Cloncurry Queensland. Swung violently to port causing undercarriage to collapse, PIlot Captain I. Flynn of Qantas Empire Airlines, no injuries.
10.43: Replaced by Qantas Empire Airlines DH.90 VH-UXB on medical work at Cloncurry, Queensland
2.4.49: Trans Australia Airlines administration acquisition date
22.7.49: Change of ownership: Trans Australia Airlines, Brisbane Queensland
24.7.49: Trans Australia Airlines official delivery date. Trans Australia Airlines took over Qantas Empire Airlines domestic air services in Queensland and Northern Territory.
7.49 Director of Civil Aviation memo: all Dragons operated in Queensland by Qantas Empire Airlines are now owned by Trans Australia Airlines: VH-AMN, VH-ASU, VH-BAH, & VH-URY
3.50 Director of Civil Aviation memo: "VH-URY engaged solely on medical work"
19.4.50: Crashed on takeoff Boulia Queensland. An engine failed soon after takeoff and aircraft badly damaged. Trans Australia Airlines Captains Anderson and Young received minor injuries.Underwent Lengthy rebuild from 4.50 to 3.51
22.3.51: C of A renewed after rebuild
20.10.53: Crashed Cheviot Hills Station Queensland. The Canberra Times newspaper reported: "The pilot of a Flying Doctor aircraft, and the wife of the flying doctor were both killed in a plane crash at Cheviot Hills Station this afternoon. Dead were the pilot Captain Martin Garrett 26 and Mrs. Kathleen O'Leary 22. Doctor O'Leary, the flying doctor also aboard the plane suffered head injuries. The child patient and her mother Mrs King Lethbridge were uninjured. The plane had landed at Cheviot Hills to pick up Mrs. Lethbridge and her child. When it took off again an engine cut out and the plane nose-dived into the ground from about 50 feet.
Dr. and Mrs. O'Leary had only been married 5 weeks. Both came from Dublin. The flying doctor was stationed at Charters Towers."
22.10.53: Aircraft was written-off by TAA. Formally Struck-off Register on this date
Sources:
1. http://afleetingpeace.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=84&Itemid=20
2. http://www.adf-gallery.com.au//2a34.shtml
3. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p060.html
4. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_VH-U1.html
5. http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austu/VH-URY.html
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charters_Towers
7. http://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/dh84-pt1/dh84-dragon-pt1.htm
8. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH84.pdf
9. https://mapcarta.com/16688974
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2008 01:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 29-Dec-2011 16:47 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Date, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative] |
| 24-Mar-2014 01:34 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 24-Mar-2014 01:45 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 24-Mar-2014 01:48 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 08-May-2014 20:32 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 11-Dec-2021 03:49 | Ron Averes | Updated [Operator] |
| 11-Dec-2021 03:51 | Ron Averes | Updated [Operator] |
| 08-Jun-2022 09:03 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
| 30-Oct-2022 22:25 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Location, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 27-May-2023 08:27 | Ron Averes | Updated [[Time, Aircraft type, Location, Source, Narrative, Category]] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation