On Thursday 10 March 1949, the Lockheed Lodestar VH-BAG operated by Aircrafts Pty Ltd under the name Queensland Airlines, departed Bilinga, later known as Coolangatta Airport and now Gold Coast Airport, at approximately 1115 hours bound for Brisbane. As the undercarriage was retracting, the aircraft assumed an abnormally nose high attitude until, at a height of approximately 200-300 feet, the starboard wing dropped and the aircraft began to lose altitude. The aircraft was recovered briefly until the port wing dropped and it entered a curving descent to the left. Although a level attitude was regained, the aircraft was seen to drop almost vertically into a swampy area at Bilinga, between the airstrip and the beach. The Lodestar struck the ground heavily with little forward motion and immediately exploded in flames. The aircraft was fully booked with 18 passengers (including 2 nursed children) plus 3 crew, all of whom were killed instantly. The crew comprised Captain R.C. Cook, First Officer J.D. Murtha and Hostess Nerida Ferguson, all of Brisbane. The Chief Pilot of APL, Captain H.E. Keegan, his wife and two infant children were amongst the passengers. A subsequent investigation determined that the aeroplane had been loaded outside the aft trim limit and thus was tail heavy to the point of being uncontrollable.

The crash site is now occupied by the terminal building and therefore defining the exact location has proved a challenge. Fortunately this detailed map was located in Queensland State Archives and this has facilitated an approximate identification of the site.

 

 

A map of the crash site prepared by Queensland Police on the day of the crash 10th March 1949.
Click on the map for a larger image. (Source: Queensland State Archives)

 

 

The wreckage of Lodestar VH-BAG at Bilinga on 10 March 1949. The confined area of the wreckage indicates that the aeroplane had little forward motion at the time of the crash.
(Picture: Queensland State Archives)

 

 

The original Bilinga runways superimposed in red on a recent Google Earth image of what is now Gold Coast Airport. The estimated crash site is marked with a red dot.

 

 

The original Bilinga runways are outlined in red superimposed on the current Gold Coast Runway 32/14.
VH-BAG took-off from Runway 07.

 

 

The Gold Coast Airport Terminal with the estimated crash location marked with a red dot.
The original Bilinga runways are marked in red.