|
 |
|
|
| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
| Chronology | Locations | Aircraft | Ships | Submit Info | How You Can Help | Donate |
|
| RAAF 86 Transport Wing No. 38 Squadron   RAAF 1960 |
Pilot F/L F. T. Collins, 022218 Co-Pilot F/O H. G. Molloy, 0313721 Navigator P/O R. J. Montgomery, 055855 Navigator P/O G. F. Scurr, 0219742 Navigator F/O T. G. Meagher, 024033 Fitter LAC W. F. North Mechanic LAC M. A. Hoban Radio Master Signaller R. P Cragg, 577975 RAF Crashed October 22, 1960 Aircraft History Built by Douglas Aircraft Company. Constructor Number 32887. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as C-47B-30-DK Skytrain serial number 44-76555. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History During May 1945 delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as C-47B Dakota serial number A65-92. Registered in Australia with call sign VH-RFI. Assigned to 86 Transport Wing, No, 38 Squadron. No known nickname or nose art. Postwar, remained in service with the RAAF. Mission History On October 22, 1960 took off piloted by F/L F. T. Collins on a navigation training flight bound for Wau Airfield. At 11:57am while attempting to land, overshot the runway and crashed and caught fire with crew suffering injuries. The aircraft burned until 1:45pm destroying the fuselage with the crew's personal effects still inside including a set of golf clubs. Wreckage After the fire was extinguished, the fuselage was destroyed with both outer wings and the tail section largely intact. Afterwards, the wreckage of this Dakota remained at the Wau Airfield until the completion of the investigation. Later, a court of inquiry into this crash during November assessed the crash to be an "error in judgment by the captain F/L Collins". Afterwards, the Administration had the wreckage bulldozed into a ravine near where it crashed, because it blocked the main road. Robert Stitt recalls: "I was [at Wau Airfield] in 1977 and it was definitely a C-47 [this aircraft]. Just looked at my notes from the time. It was located in a gully to the side of the Wau strip. The tail plane was intact and had a faded RAF-style fin flash. I also noted a plate that indicated a component or assembly had been overhauled in 1954." References USAF Serial Number Search Results - C-47B-30-DK Skytrain 44-76555 "76555 (MSN 16139/32887) to RAAF as A65-92 (VH-RFI). Crashed Jan 23, 1961 in PNG jungle [sic Wau Airfield]." National Archives Australia "Headquarters RAAF Richmond - Courts of Inquiry - Court of Inquiry into accident to Dakota A65-92 at Wau, New Guinea" 704/101/P1 PART 1, 160 pages ADF Serials - A65-92 (incorrectly lists date of crash as January 23, 1961) Other sources list the Constructors Number as 16139 / 32887 Thanks t Robert Stitt and Edward Rogers for additional information Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated January 2, 2022 |
 C-47  Photo Archive |
| Discussion Forum | Daily Updates | Reviews | Museums | Interviews & Oral Histories |
|
