| Occurrence summary | |
|---|---|
| Date | 2 September 1948 |
| Site | Near Nundle, New South Wales, Australia |
| Passengers | 10 |
| Crew | 3 |
| Fatalities | 13 |
| Aircraft type | Douglas DC-3 |
| Operator | Australian National Airways |
| Tail number | VH-ANK |
| Flight origin | Sydney, New South Wales |
| Destination | Brisbane, Queensland |
The 1948 Lutana crash occurred on 2 September 1948 near Nundle, New South Wales, Australia, when the Lutana, a Douglas DC-3 operated by Australian National Airways en route to Sydney from Brisbane, crashed into high terrain due to navigation equipment errors, killing all 13 on board.
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On 2 September 1948, the Lutana departed Brisbane's airport on a scheduled flight to Sydney. About 280 nautical miles (520 km) south of Brisbane it crashed into rising terrain in the North West Slopes of Australia's Great Dividing Range, due to an erroneously determined position based on errors in the navigational equipment the pilots relied upon for determining a safe course through the rising terrain.[1]
The official inquiry was conducted by the Department of Civil Aviation. It consisted of a chairman, Judge William Simpson of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory, and two assessors, E. J. Bowen, Sci. D, Ph. D; and Captain L. M. Diprose, chief pilot of Associated Airlines, nominated by the Australian Pilots Association. The inquiry report, released 17 November 1948, found the pilot, Captain J. A. Drummond, to be a “pilot of more than ordinary ability,” and led to a reorganization of the Department's system of air traffic control. The inquiry found that the probable cause of the crash was interference with the airplane's magnetic compass due to a nearby electrical storm and a defect in the navigational signals sent by the Government-maintained Kempsey low-frequency radio range station, an important navigational aid to flights in the area. The inquiry also identified errors and deficiencies in the aeronautical charts used to navigate the mountainous area.[1]
Australia's Air Minister, Mr. Drakeford, objected to the findings of the inquiry, stating that the lack of definitive evidence in the report rendered its findings "inconclusive," and that the assertion that the Kempsey range station malfunctioned was "difficult to believe."[1]
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