Date:	Sunday 1 March 1953
Time:	12:25 LT
Type:	Auster J/5 Adventurer
Owner/operator:	Dr John Cranstoun McInerney
Registration:	VH-KSY
MSN:	2888
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Sea off Vanimo Harbour, Vanimo, Sandaun Province (West Sepik) -   Papua New Guinea
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Vanimo Airstrip, Vanimo, Papua New Guinea
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Auster J/5 Adventurer VH-KSY: Written off (destroyed) when crashed in sea off Vanimo Harbour, Vanimo, Sandaun Province (West Sepik), Papua New Guinea. Of the three persons on board, one - The pilot, Dr. John Cranstoun McInerney - was killed. The incident was reported in detail by the DCA Aviation Safety Digest - Issue 02 - October 1953:

"Take - Off Accident - Auster
At approximately 12:25 hours on 1st March, 1953, an Auster J/5 aircraft crashed into Vanimo Harbour shortly after take-off from Vanimo airstrip, New Guinea. The aircraft sustained substantial damage on impact and sank in 20 to 30 feet of water. The pilot was killed and the two passengers received minor injuries.

It was established from the testimony of the passengers and a number of eye-witnesses that the take-off and initial climb were quite normal and that at a height of approximately 300 feet, a fairly steep turn was commenced to the left.

After the aircraft had turned through some 120 degrees the turn was arrested and the aircraft laterally levelled. However, almost immediately the nose and starboard wing dropped and the aircraft fell away in the manner of a stall.

Although the investigation revealed that the aircraft was poorly maintained, a thorough examination of the wreckage failed to detect any evidence of structural failure or malfunctioning which may have caused the accident, nor was there any suggestion in the evidence of the passengers or eye-witnesses of any engine or airframe malfunctioning which may have resulted in loss of control of the aircraft. However, it was established that the airspeed indicator and tachometer had been unserviceable for some time prior to the accident.

Apparently, it was the usual custom of this pilot to carry out a steep turn shortly after taking off from Vanimo airstrip and to return over the strip. On this occasion an attempt was made to straighten the aircraft after it had turned some 120 degrees, which in conjunction with the evidence of the passengers and the subsequent stall suggests that the aircraft approached the stall during the turn. According to the passengers' evidence the attempted recovery from the turn (or initial stall indication) was made with full opposite aileron and full back stick. This coarse and incorrect use of the controls when the aircraft was near the stall undoubtedly resulted in the aircraft stalling completely.

The pilot was in current flying practice and had over 2,000 hours flying experience, mostly on Auster aircraft. In view of his experience it is considered that he could have safely flown an Auster without the assistance of an airspeed indicator or tachometer during normal manoeuvres. However, the increase in stalling speed in a steep turn, particularly with the aircraft loaded near its maximum permissible all-up weight, as it was in this case, necessitates special care in the execution of such a turn.

There is no record of the pilot having practised stalling or spinning for some time, and it is thought that his stall recovery technique may have been poor. This is supported to some extent by the evidence concerning his use of the controls when the aircraft was at the stall.

The manner in which the aircraft initially fell away and continued to fall away is consistent with the control stick being held back. Whilst the 300 feet of altitude available when the aircraft first stalled should have been ample for recovery to have been effected, it may possibly have distracted the pilot to some degree and contributed to the incorrect recovery technique.

CAUSE
The probable cause of the accident was incorrect technique on the part of the pilot in effecting recovery from an inadvertent stall. The stall probably resulted from a lack of care on the part of the pilot in the execution of a steep turn at a low altitude without the assistance of an airspeed indicator or tachometer.

VIOLATIONS
The evidence indicates that the pilot committed breaches of the following Air Navigation Regulations:
- Regulation 239 - Banked the aircraft at an altitude below 500 feet above terrain after take-off.
- Regulation 225 (A)- Operated the aircraft with an unserviceable airspeed indicator and tachometer.
- Regulation 227 - Took off at an all-up-weight which exceeded the maximum permitted for Auster Aircraft operations at Vanimo airstrip.
- Regulation 38 - Operated the aircraft without a current Certificate of Safety.
- Regulation 244 - Carried a passenger who was not provided with, and consequently did not wear, any
form of safety belt during the take-off".

Vanimo is the capital of Sandaun Province (West Sepik) in north-westernmost Papua New Guinea and of Vanimo-Green River District. It is located on a peninsula close to the border with Indonesia, nearest to Jayapura, the capital city of Papua (province).

1. The Advocate (Burnie, Tasmania) Tuesday 3 March 1953 Page 1: TRAGIC PLUNGE INTO HARBOR: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/69437041
2. The Sun (Sydney, NSW) Monday 2 March 1953 Page 1: Dr. missing in New Guinea crash: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/230719593
3. The Riverine Grazier (Hay, NSW) Tuesday 3 March 1953 Page 2: Flying Doctor Killed in Crash: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/137221309
4. Border Morning Mail (Albury, NSW) Tuesday 3 March 1953 Page 1: Doctor missing in plane plunge: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/280338421
5. The Central Queensland Herald (Rockhampton, Qld.) Thursday 5 March 1953 Page 13: FLYING DOCTOR'S BODY RECOVERED: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/77224034
6. News (Adelaide, SA) Tuesady 3 March 1953 Page 3: Doctor's death: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/134290485
7. DCA Aviation Safety Digest - Issue 02 - October 1953: https://www.atsb.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/5774699/asd_02_oct_53.pdf
8. https://pngaa.org/wewak-vanimo-and-the-auster-crash-of-1953-peter-skinner/
9. https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/3256371
10. https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/24591:vh-ksy-1
11. https://edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austcl/VH-KSY.html
12. https://researchworks.oclc.org/archivegrid/collection/data/223485072
13. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/248131730/john_cranston-mcinerney
14. https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22531767
15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanimo

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
17-May-2008 11:10	ASN archive	Added
19-Feb-2009 11:59	Anon.	Updated
05-Aug-2009 07:24	JCM	Updated
20-Jun-2013 10:11	JCMcInerney	Updated [Narrative, ]
26-Jun-2023 05:34	Ron Averes	Updated
27-May-2025 06:32	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, ]