The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957)(about) |
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Saturday 13 November 1948
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5 corrections, most recently by bevj88 - Show corrections
Skeletons recovered
from plane wreck
CANBERRA, Fri: Skeleton remains of the two victims of a plane crash in the mountains, 40 miles south-west of Canberra, were taken to Yass by a police party late this afternoon.
Discovery of the wreckage yester- day solves the mystery of the dis- appearance of Mr W. Stillard, 28, of Barooga, near Tocumwal, and Mr W. J. Meehan, 35, of Geelong, while, on a flight from Sydney to Geelong on August 26. 1947.
A police party, headed by Sgt M. Morrissey, of Yass, with Captain Sharpe, of Duntroon, as guide, reached the wreckage about 3.30 pm this afternoon, after a steep two mile climb up the mountain side above Brindabella, in the heart of the southern Alps
The police state that the wreckage was strewn over a distance of 200 yards. One of the engines had been burnt out, but the other, which had been wrenched from its mountings by the impact, and hurled ahead of the plane, was undamaged.
A fibre suitcase found in the wreckage contained male clothing, and a wallet with some papers which bore the name of Wallace Stillard.
An officer of the Civil Aviation De- partment who accompanied the police removed some instruments
from the cockpit pending further in- quiry by the Civil Aviation Depart-
ment.
An inquest will be held at Yass early next week.
A party of Duntroon cadets found the wreckage while on manoeuvres between Wee Jasper and Duntroon. Wee Jasper is just south of Burrin- juck Dam, and a few miles south of the radio range track from Sydney to Holbrook. The pilot of the Per- cival Q6 aircraft did not have radio connection, and would have been flying by his navigational aids.
Mr R. Meehan, brother of one of the victims, arrived in Canberra late this afternoon. He organised a private search party after the crash in 1947, and searched the country between Melbourne and Mt Bogong, in NSW, which was only five minutes flying time from the scene of the crash. He gave up the search in January this year.
Mr W. J. Meehan was proprietor of Geelong Airways, and manager and chief instructor of Geelong Aero
Club.
THE PERCIVAL Q6 TWIN-ENGINED AIRCRAFT, wreckage of which
was found near Canberra.