The aircraft arrived at Bundaberg on 10 November 1976 and remained overnight. The ground safety locks were fitted by the Captain to all three landing gear units. He experienced some difficulty in fitting the nose landing gear ground safety lock but was eventually satisfied that it was correctly installed. On the following morning the main landing gear ground safety locks were removed before flight but the ground safety lock fitted to the nose landing gear was overlooked and remained in situ.

The aircraft departed from the Charters Towers aerodrome at approximately 1115 hours and, after flying over an area to the east and north-east, it proceeded towards Balfe's Creek, some 40 kilometres south-west of Charters Towers, where it landed at about 1210 hours. Some 15 minutes later, the four occupants re-boarded the aft and it took off towards the north-east. It then made a gradual right turn and, when last observed by a resident of Balfe's Creek, it was at a height of some 200 to 300 feet heading towards the nearby Lake Powlathanga. At about 1515 hours the surviving passenger was found by chance by a local resident on the shore of the lake.

On the day of the accident the pilot commenced operations in VH-WLP at about 0630 hours and completed two flights from Mareeba to Kowanyama and return. He then refuelled the aircraft, probably to capacity, adding 184 litres of fuel. The aircraft departed from Mareeba bound for Dunbar at 1430 hours. No passengers or freight were carried and it was intended to uplift five passengers at Dunbar for return to Mareeba. Weather conditions over the route were fine. At 1513 hours the pilot established high frequency radio communications with Weipa Flight Service Unit and reported that his position at 1510 hours was abeam Gamboola, altitude below 5000 feet and estimated arrival time at Dunbar was 1539 hours. Radio communications in the area were adversely affected by ionospheric conditions. At 1520 hours the pilot advised 'returning to Gamboola, estimating Gamboola three zero, have a suspected broken exhaust pipe'. Following a request from Weipa he advised that 'operations normal this time' and 'suspect that I have a broken exhaust pipe by vibration and engine no other indications.' The next communication from the pilot was at 1525 hours when he broadcast 'mayday mayday mayday, whisky lima papa, five miles closing down engine failure partial engine failure.' At 1526 hours the last transmission received from the aircraft was 'whisky lima papa I'm ah all but there to Gamboola five miles short I'm going to have to put down.'

At about 0600 hours the pilot and his passengers proceeded by motor vehicle from Kondut to the aerodrome at Wongan Hills. At 0632 hours the pilot contacted the Perth Briefing Office by telephone and. after obtaining the appropriate area meteorological forecast, he submitted flight plan details in respect of a flight to Bibby Spring and return. He indicated that his expected time of departure from Wongan Hills was 0645 hours, the flight time would be 45 minutes in each direction, the fuel endurance was 180 minutes and the flight was to be conducted in accordance with the Visual Flight Rules.

The pilot telephoned Archerfield Briefing Office at 0620 hours and notified flight plan details for a direct flight from Redcliffe to Cloncurry operating in accordance with the Visual Flight Rules. 

His flight plan indicated an expected departure time of 0730 hours, cruising altitude 8,500 feet, a flight time of 289 minutes and a fuel endurance of 396 minutes. The meteorological forecasts which he obtained indicated that fine conditions would prevail over the proposed route. 

Prior to departure the pilot refuelled the aircraft, probably to capacity. He then supervised the loading of the aircraft and, at departure, the gross weight of the aircraft was about the maximum permissible.

Aircraft struck water, descending and turning to the right. It then dived steeply into the sea about one kilometre off the shoreline of Port Grey.

The pilot was visiting Karratha on business in his twin engined aircraft and he agreed to a request to take a friend and another local resident for a flight in the Karratha area. The three men met at Karratha aerodrome and at about 0945 hours, before proceeding to the aircraft, the pilot advised the Flight Service Officer on duty at Karratha that he would be making a local flight. Written details are not required for such flights and none were submitted. The pilot also advised that he did not require a radio watch to be kept on the «;ht for search and rescue purposes. At 0958 hours the pilot reported to the Karratha Flight Service Unit by radio that the aircraft was taxying for a local flight and that Runway 08 would be used for take-off. There was no further communication with the aircraft.

At 1125 hours Central Standard Time on 3 March, 1975 a Beech D55 'Baron' aircraft, registered VH-TYM struck the ground during an attempted 'go-around' from a landing approach at Parafield Airport, South Australia. The aircraft was virtually destroyed by impact forces and subsequent fire and the five occupants were killed.

At 1703 hours CST on 13 March, 1975 a Cessna 31QN aircraft, registered VH-SDE, struck a 60 feet high radio mast and dived to the ground at Fltzroy Station, Northern Territory. The aircraft was destroyed by Impact forces and subsequent fire and the five occupants were killed.

The aircraft turned slightly to the right and crashed to the ground in a starboard wing down attitude. The main wreckage came to rest in an upright position 130 metres beyond the point of power line contact and a fierce fire broke out immediately.