1945 — Apr 19, USN R4D-5 crash in fog after takeoff, Gooseberry Hill, near Perth, AUS–13

Compiled 12-19-2023 by Wayne Blanchard for: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/ 

–13  Aviation Safety Network. USN R4D-5 crash after takeoff into rising ground in fog. 4-19-45

–13  Baugher. US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (30147 to 39998). 9-1-2023 rev.

–13  The Advocate, Burnie, Aus. “All 13 Occupants Killed in U.S. Plane Crash.” 4-20-1945, p5.

Narrative Information

 

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p. 72:

“Date:                          Thursday 19 April 1945

“Time:                         05:33

“Type:                         Douglas R4D-5 (DC-3)

“Operator:                   United States Navy

“Registration:              39067

“MSN:                         10017

….

“Total:                         Fatalities: 13 / Occupants: 13

….

“Location:                   Gooseberry Hill, WA (Australia)

“Phase:                        En route (ENR)

“Nature:                      Military

“Departure airport:      Guildford Airport, WA…Australia

“Destination airport:   Adelaide Airport, SA…Australia

“Narrative:                  Crashed three minutes after takeoff from runway 11. The aircraft struck

the rising stony ground of Gooseberry Hill in fog.”

 

Baugher: “….Douglas R4D-5….39067 (MSN 10017)….Hit hillside in Darling Range at Gooseberry Hill west of Perth in western Australia Apr 19, 1945. All 13 onboard killed.”

 

Newspaper

 

April 20: “Perth (W.A.), Thursday [19th], – All 13 occupants were killed instantly when a U.S. service plane crashed into Gooseberry Hill, 17 miles from Perth, in a thick fog at 5:30 a.m. today. The two-engined plane, which burst into flames after disintegrating, missed a house by a few feet, and ploughed up shrubs and low trees. Residents of Gooseberry Hill, which is in the Darling Ranges, were awakened by the roar of a low-flying plane. Many rushed out of their homes when they heard the plane crash, and saw a mass of flames.

 

“One wing broke off near the western side of Mrs. D. H. Bartlett’s five-acre property and the other wing fell about 50 yards from the southern side of her house. The plane then struck a tree and burst into flames. The tail finished up on a 15ft. High granite outcrop, facing the direction from which it had come.

 

“The Guildford fire brigade was quickly on the scene, traveling the eight miles from Guildford in [unclear] minutes despite fog and tough country. When it arrived the plane was a blazing inferno. Local residents had formed a water bucket brigade, but it was soon realized that there was no hope of saving lives. It was the worst aviation tragedy in the history of West Australia….” (The Advocate, Burnie, Aus. “All 13 Occupants Killed in U.S. Plane Crash.” 4-20-1945, p. 5.)

 

Sources

 

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p. 72. USN R4D-5 crash after takeoff into rising ground in fog, Gooseberry Hill, WA (Australia), 4-19-1945. Accessed 12-19-2023 at: https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19450419-0

 

Baugher, Joseph F. US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (30147 to 39998). 9-1-2023 revision. Accessed 12-19-2023 at: http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries4.html

 

The Advocate, Burnie, AUS. “All 13 Occupants Killed in U.S. Plane Crash.” 4-20-1945, p. 5.

https://newspaperarchive.com/burnie-advocate-apr-20-1945-p-5/