A synopsis of the tragedy on 21^st. July 1953

Location: Mt. Disappointment. Approx. 1 mile north east of the peak.

Unit: 1 AFTS Point Cook.

Date: 21^st July 1953.

Time: Night.

Pilot: Trainee Pilot A14167 Terence Peter Hallinan [aged 19 years from Tinana Qld.]

Crew: None.

The pilot was killed.

Details: The aircraft was airborne at 210923Z at Point Cook, for a night cross-country exercise (The authorised route -: Point Cook, Cressy, Ballarat, Baccus Marsh, Point Cook.)

Last Radio contact was made at about 211020Z. At that time the aircraft reported its position as "Abeam Bacchus Marsh ".

Probable Cause: Unknown.

Extract from Aircraft Status Card. "Search aircraft are endeavoring to locate. 22^nd July 1953."

The aircraft remained missing for over twelve months until finally found by a forestry commission worker on the 16^th August 1954.

The remains of the pilot were found inside the aircraft, which lay upside down in a crater made by the impact.

Following the removal of the remains and examination of the aircraft, several components were salvaged and the remaining wreckage was bulldozed into the crater.

The cause of the crash remains as a matter for speculation however the most likely scenario is as noted here.

The authorised course for the night navigation exercise was from Point Cook to Cressey, Ballarat, Baccus Marsh, and return to Point Cook.

If the pilot had mistakenly set the heading for Ballarat as the first leg instead of Cressey, then he would have actually flown a similar pattern except that it would be Ballarat, Castlemaine, Kilmore, and as he would have seen the lights of Melbourne and at some 35 miles distance mistook them for Geelong, then the error would have caused him to crash as he let down into cloud not knowing that the mountain lay below.

This is borne out by the statement that Essendon tower had received the last call, and felt that the transmission came from the north.

Also hearing the transmission was a Trans-Australia Airlines aircraft in the vicinity of Kilmore who felt that the aircraft was close, and had instructed his co pilot to keep a watch in the event of evasive action being necessary.

We will never know exactly what happened aside from the sad fact that on a cold and misty night a young man crashed his plane on the mountain.

No one heard the sound.

He died alone.