Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Thursday 9 March 1950, page 5


AIR CRASH REPORT

Criticism Of

Company

CANBERRA, Wednes-day.-The Air Court of Inquiry severely criticises the MacRobertson-Millar airline in its report on the loss of a DC3 aircraft at South Guildford, Western Australia, last July.

The report says incorrect loading on the plane was the possible cause of the crash in which all 14 passengers and the crew of four were killed.

The Minister for Civil Avia-tion, Mr. T. W. White, tabled the report and findings of the Court in the House of Representatives

to-day.

Mr. White said: "The Court has suggested that consideration should be given to the suspen-sion or cancellation of the air-line licence of the company."

He added: "As the reports re-ceived from the investigation team now indicate a satisfactory condition of maintenance in general and instruments in par-ticular, it is not necessary to sus-pend or cancel the airline licence of the company.

"The operations of this com-pany will, however, be the sub-ject of continued examination, so that, if at any time such a course is considered to be neces-sary, I will not hesitate to act in the manner the Court sug-gests."

Mr. White continued: "The company did not follow pre-scribed procedures, but this was known to the Department of Civil Aviation a week before the acci-dent when a snap check was

made.

"At this check the loading pro-cedures were found to be un-satisfactory and the pilot was notified of this and a letter was sent to the company drawing their attention to their failure to observe the prescribed

methods.

"Though the company gave in-structions on June 30 that the correct loading procedures had to be observed, they apparently did nothing to ensure that they were in fact observed.

"The company's loading methods have been the subject of further examination and they have since introduced correct pro-

cedures.

"While the Court, with some justification, has been critical of the Department of Civil Avia-tion for failing to undertake a greater number of general and snap checks there is a definite limit to the amount that can be done in this way unless staffs are to grow to disproportionate

limits."

"The department sets out in regulations and orders the methods which are to be adop-ted and it is then the responsi-bility of the operator to see that his actions conform to those methods."