De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide crash, Oct 26, 1953 (2 killed)
De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide accident on October 26, 1953 near Hinchinbrook Island Queensland, Australia with 2 fatalities. Cause: Fuel exhaustion...
- Date: October 26, 1953
- Aircraft: De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide
- Location: Hinchinbrook Island Queensland, Australia
- Fatalities: 2
- Phase of flight: En route
- Cause: Fuel exhaustion after the pilot was diverted by low cloud and could not get a position fix on Cairns.
A Dragon Rapide of the Queensland Ambulance Transport Brigade was sent to Iron Range to collect an injured stockman. Very low, thick cloud north of Cairns forced it south, and it ran out of fuel and ditched in the sea near Brooke Island. The stockman went down with the aircraft and the pilot died in the water, while the ambulance bearer was picked up six hours later.