Accident Douglas DC-4-1009 VH-TAA,

ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 333565

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Date:	Wednesday 24 May 1961
Time:	04:35
Type:	Douglas DC-4-1009
Owner/operator:	Trans Australia Airlines - TAA
Registration:	VH-TAA
MSN:	43065
Year of manufacture:	1946
Total airframe hrs:	46006 hours
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney R-2000-D5
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	Bulwer Island, QLD - Australia
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Cargo
Departure airport:	Sydney-Kingsford Smith International Airport, NSW (SYD/YSSY)
Destination airport:	Brisbane-Eagle Farm Airport, QLD

Narrative:
Trans Australia Airlines flight 1902 departed Melbourne, Australia at 22:54 hours on 23rd May 1961 on a domestic cargo flight to Brisbane. An intermediate stop was planned at Sydney. The DC-4 took off from Sydney at 02:29 hours, May 24.
At 04:25 hours VH-TAA called Brisbane tower and reported its position as being 30 miles from Brisbane. At 04:34 they reported the field in sight.
The DC-4 didn't arrive at Brisbane and was later found to have crashed on Bulwer Island in a tidal covered mangrove-covered mud flat.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The accident occurred during the pre-landing circuit when the captain tried to leave his seat under the influence of a disordered cardiac function and, in the course of so doing, collapsed across the engine control console in such a way as to bring all four throttle levers to the closed position depriving the first officer of the throttle movement necessary to avoid a crash-landing off the airport."

Sources:

Location

Images:

photo (c) DCA, Accident Investigation and Analysis Branch; Bulwer Island, QLD; 24 May 1961