VH-AOG Douglas DC-3

Construction of this aircraft was completed at the Douglas Long Beach plant - August 1943

It was built as a Douglas C-47A-50-DL

It was allocated the United States serial number '42-24221'

Delivered to the United States Army Air Force - August 19, 1943

Delivered to the 5th Air Force at Brisbane - November 13, 1943

Withdrawn from use and struck-off charge - December 31, 1945

Sold to Butler Air Transport by the U. S. Foreign Disposals Commission at Tacloban, Philippines - April 05, 1946

It was ferried to Australia - April 12, 1946

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-AOG - April 12, 1946

Registered to Butler Air Transport Company, Sydney

It was configured to seat 24 passengers and had built-in air stairs

The aircraft was named 'RMA Warrego'

It force-landed at night in heavy turbulence and rain at Evans Head, N. S. W. - 1951

The captain abandoned the first landing attempt but disaster struck during the second attempt

The aircraft was hit by a severe downward wind squall whilst landing causing the undercarriage to fail

Damage was sustained by center section, engines and propellers but there were no injuries to the passengers

It was repaired and returned to service

Crash-landed shortly after take-off at Bourke, N. S. W. - December 15, 1955

Flight crew: Captain W. Ives; F/O R. McDonnell; Hostess P. Miller

During the Sydney - Nyngan sector of this flight the crew experienced a surging of the engines

They were unable to synchronise them during the climb

Surging was again experienced during the take-off from Nyngan but disappeared during the cruise

On departing Bourke No 2 engine backfired loudly twice and appeared to lose power

Fearing a complete loss of power the captain feathered the starboard propeller

Take-off power was maintained on the port engine but the starboard propeller continued to rotate at 600 rpm

First Officer continued to press the feathering button but the Captain had failed to close the throttle & mixture control

Due to increased drag from the rotating starboard propeller, height and speed decreased

The aircraft was force-landed in paddock full of tree stumps, in a wheels-up condition

It slid for some 125 metres before the starboard wing impacted a tree ripping off the starboard engine

Sliding for another 55 metres it came to rest with the dislodged engine on fire against the fuselage

The 10 passengers and 3 crew were uninjured and evacuated the aircraft successfully

A portable fire extinguisher in the cockpit could not be located by the crew due to its dislodgement during the crash

This aircraft was burnt to destruction before the local fire brigade arrived

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - January 31, 1956