ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 28838
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 29 November 1939 |
| Time: | 11:35 |
| Type: |  de Havilland DH.60 Moth |
| Owner/operator: | 1 FTS RAAF |
| Registration: | A7-62 |
| MSN: | 1355 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Mouth of the Werribee River, 3 miles West of Point Cook, VIC -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | RAAF Point Cook, Melbourne, Victoria |
DH.60M [Gipsy I] sold to RAAF without C of A. Taken on charge as A7-62 on 22.1.30 and issued to 1 Squadron, RAAF Laverton. To 1 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Laverton 30.1.31. To 1 FTS RAAF 17.6.34. To 1 Aircraft Depot Laverton 24.7.34. Returned to 1 FTS RAAF 18.10.35. To 6 Squadron, RAAF at Richmond, NSW 2.2.39. Back to 1 FTS 21.8.39.
Destroyed in crash into the Mouth of the Werribee River, 3 miles West of Point Cook, Victoria, 29.11.39; structural failure of the airframe in flight when spun into the ground inverted, after the wing collapsed. Both crew - Flying Officer Robert Trevor Vincent and Pilot Officer James Richard Whitford - killed. According to a contemporary local newspaper report ("Forbes Advocate" Friday 1 Dec 1939):
"TWO OFFICERS KILLED
Air Force Accident
The Air Board has notified the deaths of two officers of the R.A.A.F. on Wednesday. In an official statement it said:
"The Air Board regrets to announce that as the result of an accident on November 29, Aircraft Pilot-Officer R. T. Vincent, of Broadford (Victoria) and Pilot-Officer J. R. Whitford, of N.S.W., suffered fatal injuries."
According to a later report, which covered the Coroner's Inquest into the deaths of the two crew:
"PLANE CRASHED
Wing Had Collapsed
MELBOURNE, Tuesday.
Evidence that the port wing of an R.A.A.F. 'Plane collapsed before the machine crashed in the mouth of the Werribee River on November 29, killing an air pilot and an officer, was given before the coroner to-day. The inquiry was held into the death of Robert Trevor Vincent, 41, and James Richard Whitford, 27, both of Point Cook. A verdict of accidental death was returned".
Flying Officer Vincent's funeral, with full air force honours, was held on 22.12.39 at Highton Cemetry, Geelong. DH Moth A7-62 was Struck off charge 3.5.40
Sources:
1. Forbes Advocate Friday 1 December 1939 p.3: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/24262573
2. http://www.adf-gallery.com.au//2a7.htm
3. http://www.ab-ix.co.uk/dh60.pdf
4. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-de-havilland-dh60-moth-point-cook-2-killed
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p013.html
6. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=A7-62
7. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2968830/james-richard-whitford/
8. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2246881/robert-trevor-vincent/
9. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10318877
10. https://www.ahsa.org.au/wp/archives/this-day-in-history/29-11-1939
11. https://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/people/military/display/21193-james-richard-whitford
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werribee_River
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2008 01:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 25-Feb-2010 09:21 | penguin832 | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 25-Jan-2012 15:07 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Phase, Nature, Damage, Narrative] |
| 21-Jan-2014 03:01 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 18-Aug-2017 13:16 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 09-Jun-2022 20:15 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
| 06-Nov-2022 19:23 | Lipatov Sergey | Updated [Source] |
| 30-Sep-2023 06:34 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [[Source]] |
| 10-Oct-2023 12:24 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [[[Source]]] |
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