Lawrence Wackett – Aviation Historical Society of Australia

DerekB30/11/202223/11/2024

Australian aviation history digital archive

In its mission to preserve and promote Australia's aviation heritage, the AHSA hosts the following digital archives. Click on the image to go to...

DerekB27/04/202204/06/2023

The Aircraft Projects of Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation

This new book by author and AHSA member Joe Vella has just been published (April 2022). Joe began writing this book in 1983 when...

DerekB29/09/202027/12/2022

Australian-built Aircraft and the Industry (Vol 2) by Keith Meggs

The latest book released by author Keith Meggs Volume 2 of this encyclopaedic work (containing only one chapter, being chapter 15, spread across two...

DerekB16/09/202027/12/2022

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

Derek Buckmaster gave a presentation on The Wirraway "Newspaper War". The AHSA September monthly meeting was held online via Zoom. A recording of the...

Cover - CAC Ceres by Derek Buckmaster

DerekB08/06/202027/12/2022

CAC Ceres – Australia’s Heavyweight Cropduster by Derek Buckmaster

The Ceres agricultural aircraft was produced by Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) in Australia from 1959 to 1963. A total of only 20 airframes were...

1943 At approximately 2:34pm on 2 March 1943, six Japanese Zeros attacked Coomalie Creek airfield in the Northern Territory. The six Zeros made strafing runs along the strip. The air raid only lasted a few seconds. Beaufighter A19-31 of 31 Squadron RAAF, was left at the end of the runway in the open and was totally destroyed. All the other aircraft were in their pens and only one was slightly damaged. Three men were wounded, but none seriously. Three of the Zeros were shot down by Spitfires over the sea. They also damaged three other Zeros. Source: Ozatwar.com website

1977 Piper PA-24-260 Commanche VH-GAS crashed at Mt D'Aguilar, QLD on 2 March 1977. There was 1 fatality and the aircraft was written off. Source: aviation-safety.net website

1982 Cessna 182E VH-RIT crashed at Wallis Island, NSW on 2 March 1982. There was 1 fatality and the aircraft was written off. Source: aviation-safety.net website

1989 Bensen B8 autogyro G-371 crashed at Lake Walyungup, WA on 2 March 1989. There was 1 fatality and the aircraft was written off. Source: aviation-safety.net website

1991 Bell 47G-5A VH-NAG crashed at 10km south of Lawn Hill, QLD on 2 March 1991. There were 2 fatalities and the aircraft was written off. Source: aviation-safety.net website

1999 Piper PA-25-235 Pawnee VH-EVZ operated by Waikerie Gliding Club crashed at 3 km south of Waikerie, South Australia on 2 March 1999. There was 1 fatality and the aircraft was written off. Source: aviation-safety.net website

2014 Vans RV-6 VH-ZMH crashed near Gatton Airpark (YGAS), Gatton, Lockyer Valley, QLD on 2 March 2014. There was 1 fatality and the aircraft was written off. Examination of information collected during the ATSB investigation identified that the pilot held a Civil Aviation Safety Authority flight crew student pilot licence and a Recreation Aviation Australia Incorporated pilot certificate, but did not hold qualifications that entitled the pilot to fly the aircraft as pilot in command. Examination of the aircraft wreckage identified no mechanical issues or faults with the aircraft that may have contributed to the accident. From the available eye witness evidence, and after reviewing security video footage that captured the aircraft movements directly prior to impact, the ATSB determined that it was very likely the pilot was performing a low-level aerobatic manoeuvre at a height from which recovery to normal flight was not completed before the aircraft collided with terrain. Sources: ATSB website and aviation-safety.net website