Summary
On the day of this accident, the pilot who had also carried out a considerable
number of cattle mustering flights, made a short local flight, after which the aircraft was refuelled.
The aircraft, now close to the maximum permissible all up weight and with the same persons on board then
took off to provide assistance in the mustering of stock. Some 20 minutes later, at a position 9 miles eastsouth-
east of the station homestead, the aircraft began to circle at a height of about 400 feet near the head
stockman, who was operating on horseback and alone and was having difficulty in turning a group of cattle. The
head stockman, riding west, saw the aircraft fly overhead towards the east at a height of between 100 feet
and 150 feet and he assumed that it would manoeuvre behind him, returning to assist in turning the cattle.
Within 30 seconds of the aircraft having passed overhead, the head stockman heard a thud and on turning,
found that the aircraft had crashed approximately 200 yards from his position. Fire broke out almost
immediately and the centre section of the aircraft, including the main cabin area was burnt out.
The aircraft struck the ground in a vertical dive op a westerly heading but not at an abnormally high speed.
