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Australian aviation history digital archive

Aviation Heritage Vol. 51 No. 1 (March 2023) Contents Listing

Outlook AHSA Newsletter February 2023

AHSA Melbourne Meeting December 2022: Annual Barbeque

Aviation Heritage Vol. 53 No. 4 (Dec 2022) contents listing

AHSA Melbourne Meeting November 2022: Annual General Meeting

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23 March 20228 November 2022

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Welcome to the website of the Aviation Historical Society of Australia Inc.
The AHSA is dedicated to recording and promoting Australian aviation history. We find and tell the stories of how aviation (both civil and military) has contributed to the development of Australia and the experiences of Australian people.
To navigate around the site, select from the menu bar above, click on one of the updates below or choose one of the categories below.

On this day in Australian aviation history:

1945 GPCAPT Deryck Kingwell was awarded the DSO for his actions in returning his Liberator and crew safely to base on 22 March 1945. Kingwell and his crew in B-24J Liberator, A72-59, (USAAF No. #44-41389), of 24 Squadron RAAF, were taking part in a bombing mission on two Sugar Dog vessels from 7,000 feet above Bima harbour on Sumbawa Island. They encountered a Japanese Oscar and a Zeke. The Zeke dropped four unidentified cylinders less than a meter long and a few centimetres in diameter. Kingwell took evasive action and the cylinders missed the Liberator by about 15 metres. The Oscar then started to strafe the Liberator. The Liberator was hit, severing an aileron cable, cutting electrical wires in the nose and wounding Kingwell and his bombardier, FLGOFF A.G. Worley. The Liberator was also hit in the tailplane, rudder and two engines. During the third attack by the Oscar, the B-24 was hit by a heavy four foot long chain which smashed the front turret perspex and hydraulic system disabling the turret. The chain also then damaged the port tailplane and fin. The ball turret gunner was unable to see because his turret Perspex was covered in hydraulic oil. The origin of the chain was a mystery. The Oscar and the Zeke continued to attack the Liberator. In all they made about 9 strafing attacks over a forty minute period. The nose gunner, FLTSGT J.S. Thompson, was also wounded, but he continued to fire at the two Japanese aircraft until his turret ceased working. The flight engineer SGT W.J. Wignal was able to repair the broken aileron cable using some wire rope. The hydraulic and electrical systems, including the autopilot remained inoperable. When Kingwell arrived over Fenton airfield he found that the starboard undercarriage leg would not lock down. He circled the airfield for an hour and a half while unsuccessfully attempting to lock down the leg. Low on fuel, he was committed to make a forced landing. He bought the main wheel tyre down on the tarmac with a deliberate sideways jolting action in an attempt to lock in the undercarriage leg, which was successful. Source: Ozatwar website
1954 His Royal Highness, Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, opened the new RAAF Base Edinburgh near Adelaide, South Australia on 22 March 1954. The site of the base was acquired in 1940 and the Salisbury Explosives Factory was constructed in 1942. A small RAAF airstrip known as Edingurgh Airfield was also constructed. Construction of a new base was commenced in 1953, to support the Australian and British joint weapons testing and the long-range experimental firing range at Woomera. A Headquarters for the base was established the following January, followed by a Base Squadron in March 1955. The base supported a large number of British and Australian personnel as well as RAF and RAAF aircraft of diverse types involved in the weapons trials. The base was used by a small detachment to handle Bristol Freighters and RAF Hastings transports operating into Woomera, along with elements of 1 and 2 Air Trials Units. Source: RAAF
1975 Slingsby T61 VH-GZO operated by the Gliding Club of Victoria crashed on the southern side of Lake Mokoan, near Benalla, Victoria on 22 March 1975. The aircraft was a self-launching glider fitted with an engine used for take-off and initial climb and which was then normally closed down until further required. Shortly after the aircraft departed at around 1015 hours it was seen flying westward, near the southern side of Lake Mokoan, at a height of about 1,000 feet apparently with the engine operating. It then turned slightly to the left, entered a steep dive and pulled up into a loop. It completed three successive loops, losing height progressively, and at the completion of the third loop It was at a height of about 80 feet above the ground. It then climbed steeply again as if to carry out another loop and, as it climbed, its speed fell off rapidly. The nose then dropped, the aircraft entered a steep dive and it struck the ground in a near vertical nose down attitude.There were 2 fatalities and the aircraft was destroyed. The investigation determined that the cause of the accident was that an acrobatic manoeuvre was commenced at an unsafe height. Sourc: ATSB
1992 British Aerospace Bae 146 200A VH-JJP lost power on all four engines on a flight from Karratha, WA to Perth on 22 March 1992. The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic passenger service and was flying at Flight Level 310 (31,000 ft). As the aircraft entered cloud white diverting around a large thunderstorm, there was a sudden and significant rise in the outside air temperature. A short time later, all four engines progressively lost power and the aircraft was unable to maintain altitude. During the next 17 minutes, numerous attempts to restore engine power were made without success until, approaching 10,000 ft altitude, normal engine operation was regained. The aircraft diverted to Meekatharra where a normal landing was completed. The investigation determined that during high altitude cruise, the aircraft entered an area of moist air significantly warmer than the surrounding air. This resulted in a need to select engine and airframe anti-ice which in turn placed high bleed air demand on the engines. Under these conditions the fuel control units were unable to schedule sufficient fuel to the engines, thereby causing them to lose power, a phenomenon known as 'roll-back'. Source: ATSB
1999 CASA Chairman Mr Dick Smith resigned on 22 March 1999 amid allegations of collusion between the CASA board and airlines over the Class G airspace trial. The Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee announced an inquiry into Airspace 2000 and related issues including BAe 146 aircraft fumes. The subsequent hearings revealed many issues in air safety and daily concerns. Source: Sydney Morning Herald, 1 April 2000; Australian, 27 and 30 March 1999. ATSB Occurrence Brief, 6 September 1999. via aph.gov.au website
2004 A Sydney bound Qantas flight 188 Boeing 767 reportedly passed within 800m of an Air New Zealand Boeing 767 flight on 22 March 2004, while under Indonesian air traffic control over Biak. A similar event on 19 June raised further Qantas concerns. Source: Australian, 22 May 2004, p. 9. 30 June 2004, p. 5. via aph.gov.au website
2014 Cessna U206G Stationair VH-FRT operated by Adrenalin Skydivers crashed at Caboolture Airfield (YCAB), QLD on 22 March 2014. The aircraft was being used for tandem parachuting operations at Caboolture Airfield, Queensland. At about 1124 Eastern Standard Time, the aircraft took off from runway 06 with the pilot, two parachuting instructors and two tandem parachutists on board. Shortly after take-off, witnesses at the airfield observed the aircraft climb to about 200 ft above ground level before it commenced a roll to the left. The left roll steepened and the aircraft then adopted a nose‑down attitude until impacting the ground in an almost vertical, left-wing low attitude. All of the occupants on board were fatally injured. A post-impact, fuel-fed fire destroyed the aircraft. The ATSB identified that the aircraft aerodynamically stalled at a height from which it was too low to recover control prior to collision with terrain. The reason for the aerodynamic stall was unable to be determined. Extensive fire damage prevented examination and testing of most of the aircraft components. Consequently, a mechanical defect could not be ruled out as a contributor to the accident. Source: ATSB

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