Date:	Tuesday 14 April 1936
Time:	night
Type:	Saro A.21 Windover
Owner/operator:	Matthews Aviation Ltd, Hobart
Registration:	VH-UPB
MSN:	A.21/1
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Sea, off King Island, near Currie Lighthouse, Bass Strait, Tasmania -   Australia
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi
Departure airport:	Essendon Airfield, Melbourne, Victoria (MEB/YMEN)
Destination airport:	King Island, Tasmania

Narrative:
Saro A.21 Windover Prototype/first production airframe A.21/1 (only two were built). Registered in New Zeland as ZK-ABW 10.4.30 to Dominion Air Lines Ltd. Launched 16.10.30; to MAEE (Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment) at Felixstowe, Suffolk 20.10.30 for test flying, and UK C of A 2803 issued 30.10.30 to Saunders-Roe Ltd., East Cowes, Isle of Wight. Shipped 12.30 to New Zealand but not flown there; the Company went into liquidation due to an accident prior to its arrival and the Windover was never un-crated. Instead, shipped on to Australia. Re-registered VH-UPB 10.12.31 to Matthews Aviation Ltd, Hobart. Operated Melbourne-King Island-Launceston route 23.1.33-28.2.34.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) when force-landed in sea near King Island and destroyed on rocks near Currie Lighthouse, Bass Strait, Tasmania 14.5.36.

In May 1936 the Windhover was on a charter flight from Essendon to King Island and having been delayed, it was dark when the plane arrived over King Island. Not being able to find the aerodrome, the plane landed in the sea near the Currie lighthouse. While anchored, the plane was hit by a large wave which damaged the wing and the plane was blown onto the rocks and severely damaged. Although the plane was salvaged, it was never repaired.
With the loss of the Windhover, any hope of maintaining the Tasmanian service were dashed and the Cutty Sark was sold. The company ceased operation sometime after this.

1. The Mercury (Hobart, Tasmania) Tuesday 19 May 1936 Page 2: WRECKED WINDHOVER AMPHIBIAN ON KING ISLAND COAST: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/25220105
2. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/Saunders-Roe_pre-war.pdf
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saro_Windhover#Production_aircraft
4. London, Peter (1988). Saunders and Saro Aircraft since 1917. London: Putnam & Company Ltd. pp. 125–130. ISBN 0-85177-814-3.
5. https://aeropedia.com.au/content/saro-windover/
6. https://elpoderdelasgalaxias.wordpress.com/2017/04/03/saro-a-21-windhover-the-luck-of-the-ugly-one-ii/
7. https://edcoatesaircraftphotos.com/ac1/austu/VH-UPB.html
8. https://www.austairdata.com.au/component/rsdirectory/entry/view/35682:vh-upb-1
9. https://tahs.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/TAHS-2021.038.0-Matthews-Aviation-Service-to-Tasmania.pdf
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Island_(Tasmania)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
12-Jul-2025 18:25	Dr. John Smith	Added