Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

On this day 50 years ago, the Hon. the Minister for Air and Civil Aviation, Mr Townley, rose in the House of Representatives following question time and advised the House:

The House will be aware that a Dakota aircraft from No. 86 Wing, Royal Australian Air Force, Canberra was lost last evening. The accident resulted in the loss of four lives ... The aircraft was engaged on night take-offs and landings and had been carrying out these exercises for approximately an hour.

The actual cause of the accident will be the subject of the usual service inquiry by the Director of Flying Safety. Only one fact is clearly established at present. That is that the aircraft had an engine failure while climbing away from the airport.

He concluded by saying:

The men themselves gave their lives while training for the defence of their country and have earned the reverent gratitude of this National Parliament and, indeed, of all people of Australia.

Fifty years on I want to pay tribute not only to the four airmen who lost their lives 50 years ago but to all others in Australia’s military history who have lost their lives whilst serving their country away from a combat zone. All service men and women who volunteer for service in our defence forces are at risk from the very nature of their work. They work in an area where there is greater risk to their health and safety and, indeed, lives than in most other occupations in the community. We all owe all of our service men and women a very high debt of gratitude and we need to remember from time to time those who gave their lives in the service of their country.

In the instance that occurred 50 years ago yesterday, on 19 March 1957, the crew of the aircraft were participating in night trainings and had taken off from the Canberra airstrip when the port engine failed, according to the Court of Inquiry, because of a failure of the governor drive gears. The emergency occurred during the takeoff run or very shortly after the aircraft had become airborne. Evidence given to the Court of Inquiry, and newspaper reports following the accident, suggested that when the aircraft’s engine failed there was a danger of it crashing into the married quarters at Duntroon College and that the pilot took evasive action to avoid crashing into those residences and causing substantial loss of life; this evasive action by a crippled aircraft may have added to the inevitability of the fatal crash of the aircraft.

As well as the crew members, who are particularly remembered today, their loved ones also need to be remembered and supported. I know that in the case of the captain of that aircraft his widow, Alma, 50 years on, maintains her love for her husband and for his family—a love and spirit that are fully reciprocated. I know all of this because the pilot of that aircraft which crashed 50 years ago last night was Hector Neil Macdonald, my brother.