| Date: | Wednesday 24 May 1961 |
| Time: | 04:35 |
| Type: |  Douglas DC-4-1009 |
| Owner/operator: | Trans Australia Airlines - TAA |
| Registration: | VH-TAA |
| MSN: | 43065 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1946 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 46006 hours |
| Engine model: | Pratt & Whitney R-2000-D5 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Bulwer Island, QLD -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Cargo |
| Departure airport: | Sydney-Kingsford Smith International Airport, NSW (SYD/YSSY) |
| Brisbane-Eagle Farm Airport, QLD |
Trans Australia Airlines flight 1902 departed Melbourne, Australia at 22:54 hours on 23rd May 1961 on a domestic cargo flight to Brisbane. An intermediate stop was planned at Sydney. The DC-4 took off from Sydney at 02:29 hours, May 24.
At 04:25 hours VH-TAA called Brisbane tower and reported its position as being 30 miles from Brisbane. At 04:34 they reported the field in sight.
The DC-4 didn't arrive at Brisbane and was later found to have crashed on Bulwer Island in a tidal covered mangrove-covered mud flat.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The accident occurred during the pre-landing circuit when the captain tried to leave his seat under the influence of a disordered cardiac function and, in the course of so doing, collapsed across the engine control console in such a way as to bring all four throttle levers to the closed position depriving the first officer of the throttle movement necessary to avoid a crash-landing off the airport."
Sources:
Location
Images:
photo (c) DCA, Accident Investigation and Analysis Branch; Bulwer Island, QLD; 24 May 1961
photo (c) DCA, Accident Investigation and Analysis Branch; Bulwer Island, QLD; 24 May 1961
photo (c) DCA, Accident Investigation and Analysis Branch; Bulwer Island, QLD; 24 May 1961
photo (c) DCA, Accident Investigation and Analysis Branch; Bulwer Island, QLD; 24 May 1961
photo (c) DCA, Accident Investigation and Analysis Branch; Bulwer Island, QLD; 24 May 1961
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2025 Flight Safety Foundation