1937 Airlines of Australia Stinson crash

The 1937 Airlines of Australia Stinson crash was an accident which occurred on 19 February 1937. The Airlines of Australia Stinson Model A airliner disappeared during a flight from Brisbane to Sydney, carrying five passengers and two pilots. Both pilots and two passengers were killed in the crash. One of the surviving passengers died while attempting to bring help to the other survivors.

The aircraft crashed in the McPherson Range on the border between Queensland and New South Wales. The wreckage was found by Bernard O'Reilly of the Lamington Guest House who went looking for the aircraft believing it had failed to cross the border. The story garnered widespread interest due to the use of similar planes during the early days of aviation in Australia. The dramatic events brought prominence to the guesthouse.

The flight

The aircraft was one of three new Stinson tri-motor aircraft purchased in February 1936 for Airlines of Australia, 'said to be the most modern and luxuriously equipped and fitted 'planes operating in U.S.A. to-day'. At a cruising speed of 165 mph, they could climb to 8000 ft, and had a retractable undercarriage, variable-pitch propellers, and landing flaps. The airplane was registered VH-UHH and called Brisbane. The others were registered VH-UGG (Lismore) and VH-UKK (Townsville).

Some of the airline's aircraft on the Sydney–Brisbane mail route were fitted with radios. Prior to the crash, the pilot Boyden and the airline's managing director had discussed the purpose of fitting a radio for emergencies, which was infant technology at the time. It was noted the pilots had only basic proficiency in Morse code, and weather reports might have to be transmitted as slowly as five words per minute.

On Friday, 19 February 1937, VK-UKK Townsville had been flown by pilot Shepherd from Sydney to Archerfield, Brisbane, via the coastal route, arriving 11.30 am; with VK-UHH Brisbane flown by Boyden arriving half-an-hour later from Sydney, via the inland route.

The weather conditions over the coastal route were considered 'a little sticky'; while the furnished report from Sydney 'was not bad'. Lismore had been raining, with 'quite a bit of water on the field'; Archerfield was not concerning. Determining whether to fly however was always given to be a matter for the pilot.

Taking off from Archerfield after 1.00 pm on Friday, VH-UHH Brisbane flown by Boyden and co-piloted by Shepherd was meant to arrive in Sydney by 4.30 pm. Almost immediately, 'HH' flew into cyclonic weather. It was later indicated the south-easterly winds would strike the southern face of the McPherson Range plateau, rising, and causing extreme turbulence to a considerable height; wind blowing at 40 to 60 mph in gusts; a quite rare occasion for that part of Queensland, and would be confined to a very local area.

The aircraft was reported missing by 7.30 pm Friday night.