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List of Qantas fatal accidents

None

List of Qantas fatal accidents
Summary

None

Short S.23 Empire flying boat VH-ABB, which crashed in 1944.

While Qantas has never had a fatal jet airliner accident, the Australian national airline suffered losses in its early days before the widespread adoption of jets in civilian aviation. These were mainly biplanes or flying boats servicing routes in Queensland and New Guinea. The incidents between 1942 and 1944 were during World War II, when Qantas Empire Airways operated on behalf of the military. While strictly speaking not accidents, the shootdowns of G-AETZ and G-AEUH are included for completeness. In 2014 and 2023, Qantas was rated the world's safest airline by Airline Ratings.

DateLocationAircraft typeRegistrationDescriptionTotal occupantsFatalitiesReferences
24 March 1927Tambo, AustraliaAirco (later de Havilland) DH.9CG-AUEDStalled at low altitude on approach to land. Pilot Alan Douglas Davidson33
4 September 1928Adelaide Hills, Australiade Havilland DH.50JG-AUHIFollowing a tour carrying Sir John Salmond, aircraft departed Adelaide piloted by C. W. A. Scott with engineer as passenger; lost control in cloud during attempt to cross the Adelaide Hills and aircraft crashed and caught fire killing the engineer. See C. W. A. Scott's DH.50J Hermes, fatal crash.21
3 October 1934Near Winton, Australiade Havilland DH.50AVH-UHECrashed after in-flight loss of control, possibly stalled at low altitude in dusty low-visibility conditions.33
15 November 1934Near Longreach, Australiade Havilland DH.86VH-USGCrashed on its delivery flight from England to Brisbane after in-flight loss of control, probably due to the type's design deficiencies.44
30 January 1942Timor Sea off KoepangShort S.23 Empire Flying BoatG-AEUHShot down by Japanese aircraft; ex-Qantas VH-ABD, owned by Imperial Airways and operated by Qantas.1813
20 February 1942Brisbane, Australiade Havilland DH.86VH-USELost control after take-off in stormy weather, possibly broke up in flight (tail fin found a mile from the crash site).99
28 February 1942Between Tjilatjap, Netherlands East Indies and Broome, AustraliaShort S.23 Empire Flying BoatG-AETZNicknamed "Circe"
Shot down by Japanese aircraft; owned by Imperial Airways and operated by Qantas.2020
22 April 1943Gulf of Papua off Port Moresby, PapuaShort S.23 Empire Flying BoatVH-ADUStalled in flare and broke up during emergency landing in open water in poor weather.3113
26 November 1943Port Moresby, PapuaLockheed C-56B Lodestar42-68348Struck hill after take-off; USAAF aircraft operated by Qantas for Allied Directorate of Air Transport.1515
11 October 1944Rose Bay, Sydney, AustraliaShort S.23 Empire Flying BoatVH-ABBOn final approach with one engine shut-down, stalled 3 m above the water and hull ruptured on impact.302
23 March 1946Indian OceanAvro LancastrianG-AGLXAircraft disappeared between Colombo and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, cause unknown; aircraft owned by BOAC and operated by both airlines on Sydney-London services (BOAC crews operated London-Karachi and Qantas crews Karachi-Sydney).1010
16 July 1951Huon Gulf near Lae, Papua New Guineade Havilland Australia DHA-3 DroverVH-EBQCrashed in sea after centre propeller failure, in heavy rain half a mile from the coast. Cargo of gold doré bars worth £36,000 (A$1.7 million 2022) was never found.77
21 September 195111 km southeast of Arona in the central highlands of New Guineade Havilland DH.84 DragonVH-AXLCrashed in mountainous country, no passengers aboard11
13 December 1951Near Mount Hagen, central highlands of New Guineade Havilland DH.84 DragonVH-URVCrashed in mountainous country33

References

References

  1. Creedy, Steve. (12 February 2008). "Qantas safety record under threat". The Daily Telegraph.
  2. "History: Venturing Overseas". Qantas Airways Limited.
  3. "History: The World at War". Qantas Airways Limited.
  4. (8 January 2014). "AirlineRatings.com names the top ten safest airlines". Airline Ratings.
  5. "G-AUED Airco aeroplane". John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.
  6. Kebabjian, Richard. "24 Mar 1927".
  7. Fysh, Sir Wilmot Hudson (1965). pp. 196--197, p. 285.
  8. "Atalanta, a De Havilland DH50 biplane VH-UHE, ca. 1930". John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.
  9. (October 2010). "QANTAS DH 86 VH - USG at Darwin airport with crew". Northern Territory Library and Information Service.
  10. (October 2010). "Aeroplane". Northern Territory Library and Information Service.
  11. (October 2010). "Airmen". Northern Territory Library and Information Service.
  12. (October 2010). "Aeroplane". Northern Territory Library and Information Service.
  13. Kebabjian, Richard. "15 Nov 1934".
  14. "Papers of Ray Shepherd, File A20, ACC G-AEUH". Northern Territory Library and Information Service.
  15. Graham, Wynnum B. (2001). Retrieved on 13 May 2008.
  16. "De Havilland 86A owned by Qantas Empire Airways, ca. 1940". John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.
  17. (October 2010). "Qantas DH86". Northern Territory Library and Information Service.
  18. (October 2010). "Qantas DH86". Northern Territory Library and Information Service.
  19. Kebabjian, Richard. "20 Feb 1942".
  20. (30 May 1947). "QANTAS Empire Airways Chronological History". Cloncurry Advocate.
  21. "AWM Collection Record: P02557.009". Australian War Memorial Collection.
  22. Cuskelly, Ron. (1997–2000). "Lodestar".
  23. Francillon, Rene J. (1987).
  24. (October 2010). "Aeroplane". Northern Territory Library and Information Service.
  25. "Qantas Short C Class Empire flying boat VH-ABB 'Coolangatta', ca. 1940". John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.
  26. Livingstone, Bob (1998). p. 122.
  27. "Avro 691 Lancastrian 1 G-AGLX Indian Ocean". [[Flight Safety Foundation]].
  28. Kebabjian, Richard. "16 Jul 1951".
  29. Goodall, Geoff. "DE HAVILLAND DHA-3 DROVER".
  30. "Pilot killed in Qantas crash". Canberra Times.
  31. (15 December 1951). "Air crash in New Guinea". Cairns Post.
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