1948 Lutana crash
Encyclopedia
The 1948 Lutana crash occurred on 2 September 1948 near Nundle, New South Wales
, Australia
, when the Lutana, a Douglas DC-3
operated by Australian National Airways
en route to Sydney
from Brisbane
, crashed into high terrain due to navigation equipment errors, killing all 13 on board.
's airport
on a scheduled flight to Sydney
. About 280 nautical miles (520 km) south of Brisbane it crashed into rising terrain in the North West Slopes of Australia's Great Dividing Range
, due to an erroneously determined position based on errors in the navigational equipment the pilots relied upon for determining a safe course through the rising terrain.
of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory
, and two assessors, E. J. Bowen, Sci. D, Ph. D; and Captain L. M. Diprose, chief pilot of Associated Airlines, nominated by the Australian Pilots Association. The inquiry report, released 17 November 1948, found the pilot, Captain J. A. Drummond, to be a “pilot of more than ordinary ability,” and led to a reorganization of the Department's system of air traffic control
. The inquiry found that the probable cause
of the crash was interference with the airplane's magnetic compass due to a nearby electrical storm and a defect in the navigational signals sent by the Government-maintained Kempsey low-frequency radio range station, an important navigational aid
to flights in the area. The inquiry also identified errors and deficiencies in the aeronautical charts used to navigate the mountainous area.
Australia's Air Minister, Mr. Drakeford, objected to the findings of the inquiry, stating that the lack of definitive evidence in the report rendered its findings "inconclusive," and that the assertion that the Kempsey range station malfunctioned was "difficult to believe."
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, when the Lutana, a Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
operated by Australian National Airways
Australian National Airways
Australian National Airways was Australia's predominant carrier from the mid-1930s to the early 1950s.-The Holyman Airways Period:On 19 March 1932 Flinders Island Airways began a regular aerial service using the Desoutter Mk.II VH-UEE Miss Launceston between Launceston, Tasmania and Flinders...
en route to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
from Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, crashed into high terrain due to navigation equipment errors, killing all 13 on board.
Flight
On 2 September 1948, the Lutana departed BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
's airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
on a scheduled flight to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. About 280 nautical miles (520 km) south of Brisbane it crashed into rising terrain in the North West Slopes of Australia's Great Dividing Range
Great Dividing Range
The Great Dividing Range, or the Eastern Highlands, is Australia's most substantial mountain range and the third longest in the world. The range stretches more than 3,500 km from Dauan Island off the northeastern tip of Queensland, running the entire length of the eastern coastline through...
, due to an erroneously determined position based on errors in the navigational equipment the pilots relied upon for determining a safe course through the rising terrain.
Investigation
The official inquiry was conducted by the Department of Civil Aviation. It consisted of a chairman, Judge William SimpsonWilliam Simpson (judge)
William Ballantyne Simpson was an Australian soldier, barrister, Army officer, administrator and Supreme Court judge.-Early life:...
of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory
Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory
The Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory is the superior court for the ACT. It has unlimited jurisdiction within the territory in civil matters , and hears the most serious criminal matters...
, and two assessors, E. J. Bowen, Sci. D, Ph. D; and Captain L. M. Diprose, chief pilot of Associated Airlines, nominated by the Australian Pilots Association. The inquiry report, released 17 November 1948, found the pilot, Captain J. A. Drummond, to be a “pilot of more than ordinary ability,” and led to a reorganization of the Department's system of air traffic control
Air traffic control
Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
. The inquiry found that the probable cause
Probable cause
In United States criminal law, probable cause is the standard by which an officer or agent of the law has the grounds to make an arrest, to conduct a personal or property search, or to obtain a warrant for arrest, etc. when criminal charges are being considered. It is also used to refer to the...
of the crash was interference with the airplane's magnetic compass due to a nearby electrical storm and a defect in the navigational signals sent by the Government-maintained Kempsey low-frequency radio range station, an important navigational aid
Navigational aid
A navigational aid is any sort of marker which aids the traveler in navigation; the term is most commonly used to refer to nautical or aviation travel...
to flights in the area. The inquiry also identified errors and deficiencies in the aeronautical charts used to navigate the mountainous area.
Australia's Air Minister, Mr. Drakeford, objected to the findings of the inquiry, stating that the lack of definitive evidence in the report rendered its findings "inconclusive," and that the assertion that the Kempsey range station malfunctioned was "difficult to believe."
See also
- 1946 Australian National Airways DC-3 crash1946 Australian National Airways DC-3 crashOn 10 March 1946 a Douglas DC-3 aircraft departed from Hobart, Australia for an Australian National Airways flight to Melbourne. The aircraft, with both engines operating, crashed into the sea less than 2 minutes after takeoff....
- Accident in Hobart, Tasmania - 1949 MacRobertson Miller Aviation DC-3 crash1949 MacRobertson Miller Aviation DC-3 crashOn 2 July 1949 a Douglas DC-3 aircraft departed from Perth, Western Australia for a night flight of 441 nautical miles to Carnarvon. The aircraft climbed to a height of about 500 feet and then plunged almost vertically to the ground, killing all 18 people on board. It crashed about a...
- Accident in Perth, Western Australia