Crash of a Wirraway, 3 miles west of Tumut, New South Wales, on 15 December 1941

At 0920 hours on 15 December 1941, Wirraway A20-258 of No. 2 Service Flying Training School (2 S.F.T.S.) at Wagga, crashed into trees on a hillside three miles west of Tumut in New South Wales while engaged in low flying aerobatics.

The pilot Sergeant William Armour Magrath (403354) and his passenger LAC William Joseph Werner (15281) were both killed. LAC Werner was an aircraft flight mechanic and had carried out some work on the Wirraway and had accompanied the pilot who was testing the aircraft before it was returned to service.

The Probable Cause of the accident was listed as "Poor technique". The aircraft was a total write-off.

"The Argus" Newspaper, dated 16 December 1941:

RAAF PLANE CRASH:

2 KILLED

SYDNEY Monday - Two members of the RAAF were killed when a single-engined aircraft crashed 3 miles west of Tumut today. [Monday, 15 December]

Victims were Flt-Sgt William Armour Magrath, 26 married formerly of Emu Plains, pilot of the plane and LAC William Joseph Werner, 20 single, formerly of Penrith, flight mechanic. The aircraft was seen carrying out low aerobatics. It struck trees on top of a hill and crashed.

Flt-Sgt Magrath was educated at Penrith and Parramatta High schools. A butcher by trade he enlisted on January 6 last and had completed his course as a pilot. LAC Werner was a salesman when he enlisted on May 20 1940. He had undergone a course of technical training.

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