ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 300674
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| Date: | Tuesday 2 August 1955 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | de Havilland DH.84 Dragon Mk III |
| Owner/operator: | Riverlea Market Gardens Ltd |
| Registration: | VH-AOT |
| MSN: | 2050 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | near Wapenamunda, Enga -
 Papua New Guinea
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi |
| Departure airport: | Madang Airport, Madang, Papua New Guinea (MAG/AYMD( |
| Togoba, Western Highland Province, Papua New Guinea |
28.02.43: Manufactured by De Havilland Aircraft Pty Ltd, Mascot Airport, Sydney NSW as part of an RAAF order for 87 aircraft
01.03.43: 1st Flight at Mascot, Sydney, NSW
08.03.43: Received by No 2 Aircraft Park (2 AP) at Bankstown Airport, Sydney, NSW and bought on charge as A34-61.
Apr-May 43: Modified W/T Equipment fitted at De Havilland Essendon Airport, Melbourne.
27.05.43: Allocated to No 1 Aircraft Depot (1 AD) RAAF Laverton for trials of installed modified W/T equipment before use by No 3 Wireless Air Gunners School (3 WAGS) at Maryborough Airport Queensland.
28.05.43: Received by 1 Aircraft Depot RAAF Laverton.
14.06.43: Allocated to No 7 Aircraft Depot (7 AD) at RAAF Tocumwal to further modifications before issue to 3 WAGS at Maryborough, Queensland.
26.06.43: Received by 7 AD at RAAF Tocumwal
27.07.43: Allocated to 3 WAGS at Maryborough Airport Queensland.
16.08.43: Received by 3 WAGS at Maryborough Airport Queensland.
13.09.44: Allocated to No 5 Aircraft Depot (5 AD) at RAAF Base Wagga Wagga, NSW for storage.
17.09.44: 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.
24.01.46: Sold by CDC to Mr Howard K Morris Old South Road, Rose Bay, NSW for £570 pounds. RAAF Markings to be removed before issue. CDC Sales Advice No G (Vic) 204 dated 18 January 1946 refers.
31.01.46: Issued to purchaser.
21.03.46: Registration application submitted by Howard K. Morris, Sydney, NSW. Registered as VH-AOT same day.
02.02.48: Change of ownership: Sepik River Trading Co, Madang, Papua New Guinea.
28.10.48: C of A renewed at Port Moresby Papua New Guinea.
01.01.49: Sold to Qantas Empire Airways (QEA) Ltd, Lae, Papua New Guinea.
14.02.50: C of A renewed at Archerfield, Brisbane, Queensland
09.03.51: C of A renewed Eagle Farm
1951-52: Leased to Trans Australia Airways, Brisbane, Queensland.
29.05.53: Sold to Highland Traders, Chimbu, Papua New Guinea c/o William E. Passlow. Director of Civil Aviation Register change of ownership from Qantas Empire Airways to Riverlea Market Gardens Ltd, Madang, Papua New Guinea.
02.08.55: Chartered for a flight from Madang to a Seventh Day Adventist mission at Togoba in the Western Highlands Province carrying three pastors and a full load of supplies. The aircraft failed to climb after takeoff and struck trees on the side of a high mountain gorge near Wapenamunda. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot William E. (Bill) Passlow killed. One passenger was seriously injured and the other two passengers received minor injuries. The ensuing Director of Civil Aviation investigation found that the aircraft was overloaded.
One of the injured pastors later said from his Sydney hospital bed: "Bill Passlow definitely sacrificed his life so that we, his passengers, could live. He could see the crash coming and planned his actions to the last degree. He flew the plane on the port side of the gorge, thus giving security to the passengers strapped on the starboard side. He tried everything he knew. The last thing he said was "Gentlemen, hang on tightly. We are not going to make it."
06.12.55: Struck off Register as "destroyed"
Sources:
1. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH84.pdf
2. https://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/dh84-pt2/dh84-dragon-pt2.htm
3. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus01.html
4. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a34.htm
5. https://www.airhistory.net/photo/133593/VH-AOT [VH-AOT over Cloncurry, Queensland c.1950]
6. http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austa2/VH-AOT.html
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wapenamanda_District
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Nov-2022 12:52 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 26-Jun-2023 05:02 | Ron Averes | Updated |
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