ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 300675
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| Date: | Tuesday 23 September 1952 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | de Havilland DH.84 Dragon Mk III |
| Owner/operator: | John A.W. Gray t/a Territory Airlines |
| Registration: | VH-APL |
| MSN: | 2051 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Chimbu Airport, Chimbu -
 Papua New Guinea
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Cargo |
| Departure airport: | Madang Airport, Madang, Papua New Guinea (MAG/AYMD) |
| Chimbu Airport, Simbu Province, Papua New Guinea (CMU/AYCH) |
28.02.43: Manufactured by De Havilland Aircraft Pty Ltd, Mascot Airport, Sydney NSW as part of an RAAF order for 87 aircraft
07.03.43: 1st Flight at Mascot, Sydney, NSW.
21.03.43: Received by No 2 Aircraft Park (2AP) at Bankstown Airport, Sydney, NSW and bought on charge as A34-62.
23.03.43: Allocated to No 5 Service Flying Training School (5 SFTS) at RAAF Station Uranquinty, NSW.
29.03.43: Received by 5 SFTS.
30.08.44: Allocated to No 14 Aircraft Repair Depot (14 ARD) at Gorrie Field, NT.
25.09.44: Allocated to No 1 Aircraft Depot (1 AD) at RAAF Laverton for painting in camouflage colours.
26.09.44: Received by 1 AD, RAAF Laverton.
04.10.44: Received by 14 ARD at Gorries Field, NT upon completion of work.
05.10.44: Allocated to No 6 Communications Unit (6 CU) at Batchelor Field, NT.
06.10.44: Received by 6 CU at Batchelor Field, NT.
09.11.44: Allocated to No 5 Aircraft Depot (5 AD) at RAAF Base Wagga Wagga, NSW for storage.
24.11.44: Received by 5 AD Care & Maintenance Unit (CMU) at RAAF Station Cootamundra, NSW.
19.09.45: Survey report to Commonwealth Disposal Commission (CDC) recommended disposal.
15.02.46: Sold by CDC to W.R. Carpenter Pty Ltd., O’Connell Street, Sydney, NSW for £50 pounds. RAAF Markings to be removed before issue. CDC Sales Advice No G (Vic) 260 dated 12 February 1946 refers.
09.04.46: Issued to purchaser.
12.04.46: Registration application: Mandated Airlines (MAL) Ltd, Lae, Papua New Guinea.
29.04.46: Registered as VH-APL. Under overhaul with De Havilland Pty Ltd Mascot, Sydney.
20.05.46: Ferried to Lae, Papua New Guinea.
14.02.47: Starboard undercarriage collapsed on landing at Lae, pilot was Mandated Airlines Manager Arthur Collins. The lower wing had suffered a structural failure due metal fatigue of the round bracing strut between the upper and lower wings. Investigation found that wartime supply difficulties forced De Havilland Aircraft at Mascot to replace the streamlined strut with a strut of round section with a wooden streamlined fairing attached. Director of Civil Aviation ordered inspections of the round section struts of all Dragons and replacement where required
31.03.47: Director of Civil Aviation reprimanded Mandated Airlines Ltd over the poor condition of DH.84 Dragons VH-APL and VH-ARJ and grounded both the aircraft pending rectification of faults.
20.08.47: Ferried to Camden NSW for C of A renewal and then returned to Papua New Guinea.
13.12.49: Ferried to Bankstown, Sydney, NSW for C of A renewal by De Havilland Aircraft. Then returned to Papua New Guinea.
05.12.50: C of A renewal at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
03.01.51: Received minor damage when the aircraft swung on take-off from Bulolo strip, PNG.
15.12.51: Change of ownership: John A. W. Gray, c/o Territory Airlines (TAL) Lae, PNG.
23.09.52: Territory Airlines pilot Noel Peacock was carrying a full load of supplies on a Government charter from Madang to Chimbu. He was experienced with the difficult Chimbu approach, but an updraft and tailwind forced a go-around during which the aircraft crashed into a hill. Pilot was badly injured and brought out to Lae, then sent to hospital in Australia.
12.02.53: Aircraft reduced to scrap and struck-off register.
Sources:
1. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH84.pdf
2. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus01.html
3. https://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/dh84-pt2/dh84-dragon-pt2.htm
4. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a34.htm
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chimbu_Airport
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Nov-2022 13:17 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 26-Jun-2023 03:08 | Ron Averes | Updated |
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