VH-MME Douglas DC-3CS1C3G
(c/n
9350)
VH-MME ('RMA Fitzroy') was an
ex C-47A-20-DL (42-23488) first civilianized in 1947
for Mac-Robertson
Miller Aviation as VH-AXM. The following year it was to
have been
re-registered -BXM (when it was determined the VH-AX
series conflicted with the Q-codes).
In the event, the registration
VH-MME was applied for and granted in December 1948, and
hence the actual registration -BXM
was never painted on the aircraft. On 2 July 1949, whilst
taking
off from Perth at night it crashed into sand, amongst trees, at Allawah
Grove Army Camp,
just off
the northern boundary of the airport. The subsequent
investigation showed that the
cargo had been
incorrectly stowed resulting in the CogG being well beyond the aft
limit, causing
loss of
control when the aircraft became airborne. The aircraft stalled
and plunged into the
ground resulting in the tragic deaths of the four crew and 14
passengers. The above shot of
wreckage is from the Geoff Goodall collection.