Australian National Airways DC 3 crashes off Hobart airport

On Sunday the 10th of March 1946 a Douglas DC-3 aircraft departed from Hobart, Tasmania (HBA/YMHB) for a flight to Melbourne, Victoria (MEB/YMEN). The aircraft crashed into the sea with both engines operating less than 2 minutes after takeoff. All twenty-five people on board the aircraft died. It was Australia's worst civil aviation accident at the time.

The Australian National Airways aircraft registered VH-AET arrived at Cambridge aerodrome at 8:15 pm local time, about four hours late. The return flight to Essendon Airport was scheduled to depart at 4:50 pm, but did not do so until 8:50 pm.

On board were 21 passengers, 3 pilots and an air hostess. Douglas DC-3 (and C-47) aircraft were normally crewed by two pilots but on the 10th of March the cockpit of VH-AET was occupied by a third person, a supernumerary pilot who was making his first flights with the airline. The weight of the aircraft was about 900 pounds (410 kg) below the maximum authorised weight. The takeoff was into a light southerly wind towards Frederick Henry Bay and the sea. Observers at the aerodrome reported that the takeoff was normal, and both engines were operating perfectly.

Witnesses in the vicinity of Seven-Mile Beach estimated that the aircraft reached a height of a little above 400 ft (120 m) before turning left slightly and descending steeply. The aircraft cleared the land and crashed into Frederick Henry Bay about 300 yards (270 m) beyond the water's edge and a mile (1.6 km) from the western end of Seven-Mile Beach. After takeoff it flew for less than 2 minutes and covered a distance of only 2.9 nautical miles (5.4 kilometres)

The exact cause of this accident was not determined but the most like cause was the inadvertent engagement of the autopilot just after take-off with the gyros set in 'caged' position by the First Officer

Aircraft Information:
Airline: Australian National Airways - ANA
Code: AN/ANA
Aircraft: Douglas C-47-DL (DC-3)
Registration: VH-AET
Serial Number: 6013
Engines: 2 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp
First Flew: 13th November 1942
Age: 3.4 Years

Brand new, the aircraft was allocated to the 5th Air Force and delivered to Brisbane (Archerfield) on the 15th of January 1943. Used by 374th Troop Carrier Squadron with the registration VH-CGD. It was later sold to the Department of Civil Aviation having flown 1,911 hours - on the 24th of November 1944. Converted to civilian standards by Australian National Airways at Melbourne (Essendon) Airport
The aircraft was entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-AET on the 20th of December 1944