AHSA Monthly Meeting 16 Sep 2020 (Derek Buckmaster: The Wirraway “Newspaper War”)

DerekB16/09/202027/12/2022

Derek Buckmaster gave a presentation on The Wirraway “Newspaper War”.

The AHSA September monthly meeting was held online via Zoom. A recording of the meeting is included below (click the image below to view the video):

1945 Lockheed Hudson A16-118 of 4 Communications Unit RAAF crashed off Machans Beach, QLD on 5 March 1945. The aircraft was flying from Cairns to New Guinea but crashed 2.25 miles from Cairns aerodrome shortly after take-off. All 11 occupants of the aircraft were killed in the crash. The weather at the time was 9/10 cloud, no wind, ceiling 15,00 feet, visibility 5 miles, and no rain. The aircraft ended up on its back in 12 feet of water 500 yards offshore. The crew were F/O Donald James Bassett, F/O Gordon Thomson, W/O Errol S Frieze, LAC John Dudley Moore and F/Lt Newell. Passengers included Major General George Vasey CB, CBE, DSO and BAR, Maj General R Downes CMG, Col Russell, Col Bertram Lt Rigall and Cpl James, all of the Australian Army. Sources: ADF-Serials website; aviation-safety.net website

1989 Winton Sportsman ultralight crashed at Mulgoa, NSW on 5 March 1989. It was being flown by an experienced ultralight pilot after having been purchased second hand by another person. Following a normal takeoff the aircraft was observed to carry out a manoeuvre consistent with a deliberate stall and recovery. It was then seen to enter a level turn to the left, in which the angle of bank gradually increased to about 90 degrees, despite the aircraft being limited to an bank angle of 60 degrees. The turn continued through at least 360 degrees, during which the aircraft began to lose height. A witness said he then saw the aircraft roll out of the turn, still losing height, before it suddenly appeared to lose control and entered a steep spiral dive. The aircraft was seen to impact the ground heavily. An examination revealed that the welding of the attachment bracket, for the wing brace struts, had failed. This had allowed both wings to fold upwards and twist rearwards, resulting in an immediate loss of control. A laboratory evaluation of the failed weld indicated an extensive lack of fusion between the weld deposit and the bracket. There was 1 fatality and the aircraft was destroyed. Sources: ATSB websit; aviation-safety.net website

1989 On 5 March 1989, having flown his Winton Facet Opal flying wing ultralight aircraft from Tyagarah airfield to Evans Head, NSW, Scott Winton set a record time to climb to a height of 3,000 m (9,943 ft) of 6 mins 46 seconds. The record was ratified and recognised by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale in the category RAL1T "Microlights and Paramotors". Sources: nestofdragons.net website; Fédération Aéronautique Internationale Records website

2002 The last ever Ansett flight lands to end 66 years of history. Flight AN152, Airbus A320-211 VH-HYI, piloted by Captain Geoff McDonald touched down at Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport just after 6am on 5 March 2002 after flying from Perth, and taxied to its dock beneath arching jets of water from two fire engines paying tribute on the tarmac. A third of the passengers aboard were from the media and more journalists greeted the plane in the terminal, otherwise empty but for confetti left behind from the previous evening. Sources: http://www.aph.gov.au/library/ via aph.gov.au website; ABC News website; australianaviation.com.au website

2003 CASA issued Virgin Blue with a formal air safety warning relating to documentation and procedures. This followed concerns that pilots were not conducting safety checks. Sources: Age, 6 March 2003, p. 8. Canberra Times, 2 March 2003, p. 3. via aph.gov.au website

2015 Civil Aviation Safety Regulation Part 175 (CASR Part 175) under the Civil Aviation Act 1988 came into effect on 5 March 2015. This regulation establishes standards and legislative requirements for the quality and integrity of data and information used in air navigation. Specifically, information published in the Integrated Aeronautical Information Package, on aeronautical charts and contained within aeronautical navigation databases. CASR Part 175 requires that Airservices hold and maintain current contact details of Aerodrome (AD) / Aircraft Landing Area (ALA) / Helicopter Landing Site (HLS) owner/operators. The owner/operators (otherwise referred to as an Aeronautical Data Originator or ADO) are required to register with Airservices the nominated AIP Responsible Person. The ADO is responsible for informing Airservices of this information, carrying out regular reviews and updating this information with any changes. Source: airservicesaustralia.com website