ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 301319
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: | Wednesday 10 November 1937 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | Koolhoven FK.41 |
| Owner/operator: | Wilson P. Milligan & Duncan Knox, |
| Registration: | VH-ULX |
| MSN: | 4103 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Condobolin Airport, Condobolin NSW -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Demo/Airshow/Display |
| Departure airport: | |
| Condobolin Airport Condobolin, NSW (CBX/YCDO) |
1929: Built by N.V.Koolhoven at Waalhaven Aerodrome, Rotterdam, Netherlands. 95 hp Cirrus Hermes III engine This was the third F.K.41 built, and was modified at the Koolhoven factory with the modified tailplane and redesigned nose cowlings devised by the Desoutter Aircraft Co for its British production. NV Koolhoven received an order for a new FK.41 placed by A.W Gregory, Sydney NSW.
Augustus F.W.Gregory had been wounded in France while flying with Royal Flying Corps in WW1, returned to Australia in 1918 and went on to a varied civil career as a commercial pilot, flying for Adastra Airways, Butler Air Transport and several flying schools. In 1929 he registered a sales business A.W.Gregory Aircraft Co Ltd
11.07.29: Gregory wrote to Civil Aviation Board, Melbourne advising that he had ordered a "Desoutter" on behalf of Mrs. F. M.Terry, which would be shipped to Australia. He requested a registration ending in "BT" or "FMT". CAB declined the request and allocated the next sequential registration VH-ULX
28.08.29: Registered as G-AALI Desoutter Aircraft Co Ltd, Croydon Aerodrome, London. Flew Rotterdam to Croydon Aerodrome as G-AALI for inspection by Desoutter Aircraft Co. same day. Flew from Croydon back to Rotterdam. The original Koolhoven high set tailplane was refitted. Dismantled and packed at Rotterdam for shipping to Australia
15.09.29: Assembled at Mascot Aerodrome, Sydney, NSW. First test flight by Travis "Tommy" Shortridge
17.09.29: Registered VH-ULX Mrs. Florence M. Terry c/o Aero Club of NSW, Mascot Aerodrome, Sydney, NSW
02.10.29: Australian C of A issued
26.10.29: Change of ownership: A.W. Gregory Aircraft Co Ltd, Sydney
09.11.29: Change of ownership: Allan J. Ritchie, Sydney
05.01.30: Forced landing on Victoria Park Racecourse, Sydney, no damage. Pilot A.W.Gregory, owner Allan J. Ritchie
23.03.30: Engine failure on takeoff Mascot, undercarriage collapsed. Pilot Leslie Shaw and 2 passengers unhurt
31.05.30: Change of ownership: Aircars Pty Ltd, Sydney c/- Managing Director A. J. Ritchie
31.10.30: Repairs completed and a new undercarriage installed. Test flown Mascot by Guy Menzies
29.05.31: C of R expired. Allan J Ritchie advised Civil Aeronautics Board that aircraft will not be flown for some time due to engine overhaul
11.04.32: Test flown at Mascot, Sydney by F.C. Higginson
14.04.32: C of A renewed at Mascot. Original Cirrus Hermes III replaced by Cirrus Hermes II
30.06.32: Civil Aeronautics Board report: VH-ULX is currently based at Cloncurry Queensland
15.08.32: Civil Aeronautics Board report: VH-ULX is now based at Archerfield, Brisbane where it has been hired by commercial pilot Kenneth R. Frewin and maintained by his business partner, ground engineer Mr. D. Milne.
24.08.32: Visited Mascot, Sydney, pilot Ken Frewin. Civil Aeronautics Board inspector submitted a report on the aircraft's poor condition
27.10.32: C of A suspended by Civil Aeronautics Board due to owner Allan J Ritchie not rectifying the faults notified to him by Civil Aeronautics Board
05.11.32: Engineer D. Milne wrote to Civil Aeronautics Board advising that the aircraft will be reconditioned shortly. In protesting the grounding order, he stated that during the fortnight prior, pilot Ken Frewin had flown the aircraft from Brisbane to Melbourne return, Sydney return and Toowoomba return. He was critical of Frewin's lack of care of the aircraft when away from Milne's maintenance
01.05.33: Major overhaul at Archerfield, Brisbane completed by Qantas Ltd
08.05.33: C of A renewed at Archerfield, Brisbane. Civil Aeronautics Board wrote to Aircars Pty Ltd advising that, after a review, it had decided to reduce the approved Maximum All up Weight for VH-ULX, the only aircraft of its type on the Civil Register.
31.08.33: Civil Aeronautics Board report: VH-ULX is being operated by Moxon Motors, Brisbane, flown by pilot Frank Higginson
26.10.33: Frank C. Higginson, Brisbane wrote a long letter to Civil Aeronautics Board bitterly protesting their decision to reduce the payload for VH-ULX which he is hiring from Aircars Pty Ltd. He is flying it for his living and the arbitrarily lowered weight limit will not allow 2 passengers to be carried. He has flown over 300 hours in this aircraft and it performs well with 2 passengers on board.
14.11.33 :CAB inspector reported that Frank C. Higginson had arrived Archerfield from Boonah Qld with 2 passengers. CAB Head Office Melbourne wrote to Frank C. Higginson threatening suspension of his pilot licence over this event. Frank C. Higginson wrote a masterful reply attaching his fuel docket to prove he had carried reduced fuel to keep the Maximum All Up Weight below the limit. CAB responded that no further action would be taken at this time.
21.12.33 : Minor damage while taxying to the Qantas hangar at Archerfield, pilot Frank C. Higginson. Quickly repaired. Flown extensively by Frank C. Higginson, including a trip to New Guinea in late 1933
01.08.34: Minor damage at Coffs Harbour, NSW. Repaired and flown to Archerfield, Brisbane 3.8.34
14.10.34: Engine overhaul certified complete by engineer J. C. Carpenter
16.10.34: C of A suspended by CAB because a list of defects notified to Aircars Pty Ltd had not been rectified
01.11.34: Allan J. Ritchie of Aircars Pty Ltd advised CAB that he wants to have the aircraft ferried to Mascot for an overhaul by Tugan Aircraft. The aircraft has been left unattended at Archerfield since resignation of staff
08.11.34: Ferried Archerfield to Mascot by J. C. Carpenter. Airframe overhaul at Mascot by Tugan Aircraft
16.12.34: Badly damaged at Mascot when engine failed on takeoff at 200 feet, resulting in a forced landing down-wind. Pilot J. C. Carpenter, owned Aircars Pty Ltd.(Aircars Pty Ltd took legal action 30.3.36 in Sydney Supreme Court against J.C.Carpenter over the alleged overhaul carried out on the engine that failed at Mascot 16.12.34. and C.E.Murrell over his refusal to pay the agreed price for VH-ULX due to the condition of the same engine)
17.12.34: Change of ownership: C. E. Murrell, Sydney NSW
22.06.35: Tailplane damaged when struck by the propeller of taxying Clancy Skybaby at Mascot. VH-ULX was parked and pilot J. C. Carpenter was out of the aircraft
22.06.35: Repairs to VH-ULX completed by Tugan Aircraft (same day)
17.08.35: Forced landing at Cootamundra NSW, no damage. Pilot J. W. Fraser, owner C. E. Murrell
22.08.35: Minor damage in forced landing at Hillston NSW. Pilot J. W. Fraser, owner C. E. Murrell
30.12.35: Damaged at Southport Qld when struck a stump on the beach while joyriding, pilot Verne Cerche
04.01.36: Forced landing on beach Diggers Head, Coffs Harbour NSW due engine failure. No airframe damage.
Pilot Verne Cerche, owned C. E. Murrell
31.05.36: C of A suspended by CAB because of the poor condition of the aircraft when inspected at Mascot. CAB memo to Head Office from the Mascot office: "This aircraft is no longer flown by Murrell and Carpenter. It has been used for extensive joyriding at Mascot, operated by ticket-sellers and any pilot who is available is engaged to fly the machine. The ticket-sellers have no interest in the condition of the aircraft so long as they can sell flight tickets and spend the profits at the local hotel - an undesirable element on Mascot aerodrome."
21,06.36: Change of ownership: W. T. Fountain, Fountain's Garage, Mudgee, NSW
10.08.36: Repairs to defects completed at Mascot and aircraft test flown. During the routine weighing using CAB scales it was found that the empty weight of the aircraft had increased from 1086 lbs to 1303 lbs, probably caused by heavier wood used in various repairs over the years. This meant the payload was reduced to only 17 pounds (lbs)
14.08.36: Test flown Mascot, pilot D. McMaster
21.08.36: Flown Mascot-Mudgee by D.McMaster, continued to Dubbo NSW for an air pageant where he flew joyrides. McMaster then attended an air pageant at West Wyalong NSW where he again flew joyrides. He arrived at Cessnock NSW for an air show but because a CAB inspector was present, did not carry out joyrides.
CAB investigate these events and send warning letters to Fountain and McMaster
10.09.36: CAB Mascot memo: VH-ULX is housed in Joe Palmer's "lock-up"on the aerodrome while owner Fountain is undecided about the empty weight problem. Fountain had spent a considerable amount having the aircraft reconditioned but it is now not a commercial proposition due the lack of payload.
28.9.36: Fountain wrote a lengthy letter to CAB pleading for a reconsideration of payload ruling. He needs to carry 300 lbs to operate the aircraft commercially. He had paid for the best men at Mascot to recondition his aircraft. He objected to it being considered the same as the British Desoutters, stating that it was built in Holland and differs from the Desoutters by having a Fokker wing with excellent weight-lifting capability. He is aware that his aircraft has successfully carried a payload of 950 lbs.
CAB internal memos are sympathetic to the owner's plight. They record that Fountain is having cabin fittings stripped from the aircraft and has managed to reduce the empty weight by 100 lbs. A CAB letter to Fountain suggests he replace the fuel tanks with smaller DH.80 Puss Moth design tanks. CAB wrote to the manufacturer Koolhoven seeking advice. Their response is that that the original payload would be safe but the undercarriage should be strengthened to a modification plan
30.11.36: Change of ownership: Wilson P. Milligan & Duncan Knox, Sydney NSW
25.12.36: Turned over on to back after landing on beach at Brunswick Heads NSW. Pilot Donald F. McMaster and two passengers unhurt. He was conducting joyrides and while taxying on the beach alongside the river, a wheel dropped in soft sand and the aircraft tipped over on to its back in shallow water. Repaired
31.07.37: Civil Aviation Branch had written to the manufacturer Koolhoven seeking advice on VH-ULX's payload problem. Based on their response, CAB approved payload increase to the original C of A, subject to the undercarriage being strengthened in accordance with a modification devised by Koolhoven
01.11.37: VH-ULX was one of six aircraft participating in Captain Mendham's Flying Circus, attending country air pageants to conduct flying displays and joyriding.
10.11.37: Crashed at Condobolin Airport, Condobolin, NSW, completely wrecked. Pilot Donald Dawson, accompanied by the owner Duncan Knox, was fourth aircraft to arrive at Condobolin for an air display the following day. Newspaper reports state that while "stunting" at low altitude over the town, the engine failed and an emergency landing was attempted on a vacant block. The aircraft struck a power line and part of a wing was torn off, before hitting a tree and coming to rest in the front garden of a house. Children at the house and the two on board escaped serious injury.
Sources:
1. https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-AALI.pdf
2. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/Desoutter.pdf
3. https://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/desoutter/desoutters.html
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condobolin_Airport
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Nov-2022 22:55 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 17-Nov-2022 23:00 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Destination airport, 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