Date:	Friday 1 June 1934
Time:	11:00 LT
Type:	de Havilland DH.60G Moth
Owner/operator:	1 FTS RAAF
Registration:	A7-24
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Location:	Altona Bay, off Point Cook, Victoria -   Australia
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAAF Point Cook, Melbourne, Victoria (YMPC)
Destination airport:

Narrative:
A contract [no.19506] was awarded by the Department of Defence for the RAAF in March 1929 for the licence-production of 32 Moths, at a unit cost of £448-10-0, excluding engines to be built by Larkin Aircraft Supply Co Ltd, Coode Island, Melbourne ["LASCO"]. They were initially intended to be DH.60X Cirrus II Moths and the contract specified delivery of the first twelve by 31.1.30. However, production slipped and it is believed that all were fitted with Gipsy Is. No c/nos. were issued: airframes were identified by their RAAF serials A7-23 to A7-54.

A7-24 was a DH.60G Moth Seaplane, delivered to 1 FTS RAAF Point Cook, Melbourne, Victoria 29.7.30.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) when crashed in Altona Bay, off Point Cook, Victoria 1.6.34 during landing practice. (One source - see link #2 gives the crash location as "Port Philip Bay, one mile from the Pier at Altona Beach"). The two crew on board survived, and were rescued by a motor boat. As reported in a contemporary local newspaper (The Herald (Melbourne, Vic.) Friday 1 June 1934 Page 1 - see link #1)

"Two Seaplane Pilots Hurled into Bay
RESCUED JUST IN TIME OFF SINKING FLOAT AFTER CRASH
Striking the water heavily when alighting in Altona Bay today, an Air Force Moth seaplane smashed off its floats and somersaulted on to its back, hurling Flying-Officer A. M. Murdoch and his pupil, Air-Cadet A. F. Bandidt, into the sea.

Cadet A. F. Bandidt, who comes from Queensland, received a severe knock on the cheekbone when the plane hit the water. Flying-Officer Murdoch was not hurt.

THE fliers grasped one of the floats, but it had been broken by the impact, and was sinking fast. The motor boat Victory was immediately rushed from the Altona explosives jetty. It reached the sinking float just in time to rescue the men.

Mr Frank Sibarros, of Queen Street, Altona, rowed a heavy boat out to the plane to help in the rescue and salvage. Once ashore, the two men, still in dripping overalls, were hurried back to Point Cook, where arrangements were made to salvage the partly submerged seaplane.

Later the plane, with only the tail showing above water, was towed by a launch to Altona Pier, where it was hoisted until a tender arrived from Point Cook.

Was Flying Low
The crash was described by Mr William Grover, of The Esplanade, Altona, who was watching the seaplane at 11a.m. when it seemed about; to land. "The pilot seemed to have made up his mind in a hurry," he said. "When the plane came down the floats and the propeller seemed to smack the water together. Up she tipped, the tail somersaulting over. We could see from the shore that the floats had broken off, and the machine was sinking."

"The plane was flying very low when I saw it just before she came down", said Mr B. Porter, of Altona. Flying Officer Murdoch has been with the R.A.A.F. for three years, and Air-Cadet Bandidt has just finished his "A" course.

Complete Write-Off"
"It is a complete 'write-off," said an experienced airman as he watched the mangled machine being hauled up to the pier. "The engine, parts of the tail, and fuselage, and some metal fittings could be used in rebuilding." The damaged seaplane was removed to Point Cook on a tender about two hours later. It Is understood that the job of rebuilding will take about two months.

Leading-Aircraftsman Whiffen, in bathers, had a cold job diving to adjust tackle. Mechanics checked souvenir hunters with difficulty. It was the second mishap to the sea plane in six months. At Christmas time it was forced down at Portsea. The nose of the machine was completely stove in, and the propellor blades broken off. It was fortunate for the occupants that the bay was like a mill-pond."

Not repaired, reduced to spares and components; struck off charge 21.8.34.

NOTE: The above newspaper report also refers to a previous crash - damaged in a forced landing - involving the same aircraft at Portsea, Victoria on or about "Christmas Time" the previous year (on or about 24-27 December 1933).

1. The Herald (Melbourne, Vic.) Friday 1 June 1934 Page 1 Two Seaplane Pilots Hurled into Bay: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/243168913/26290494
2. The Daily News (Perth, WA) Friday 1 June 1934 Page 8 SEAPLANE OVERTURNS IN BAY: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/84201698
3. [photo of wreckage] The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, NSW) Saturday 2 June 1934 Page 18
SEAPLANE BADLY DAMAGED IN ALTONA BAY, VICTORIA, YESTERDAY: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17051556
4. https://www.ab-ix.co.uk/pdfs/dh60.pdf
5. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/CMS/raaf2/2a7
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altona_Beach

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
07-Feb-2024 07:18	Dr. John Smith	Added
07-Feb-2024 10:42	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator]