Baron VH-FWR 16/2/74 YGLA-YLRE
 

Further to the James Clay thread, Baron FWR went missing on a flight from Gladstone to Longreach on the 16th of February 1974. There were two persons on board. The ATSB report indicates the aircraft was never found.

FWR Final Report

The AustAirData website states the aircraft crashed 200km WSW of Rockhampton so it must have been found. Does anyone have any additional details on this accident?

AustAirData FWR

As an aside the wreckage of Liberator "Beautiful Betsy" lies approximately 50nm South of the direct YGLA-YLRE track and remained undiscovered for almost 50 years.

Thanks
FL

VH-FWR
 

I knew the owner / pilot of this aircraft, Ted Smith. We did our PPL navigation together, a 7 day east coast nav trip with 3 students and the instructor.

After buying a C182, then a Bonanza, and finally the Baron, he and his wife disappeared in QLD as per the report.

26 years later, my mother contacted me to tell me the wreckage had been located in the side of a mountain, by a helicopter pilot, during a very dry period when most vegetation on the mountain had died off. No remains were found in the wreckage. It was reported in The Rockhampton papers I believe, I saw a faxed copy.

CASA or DCA never bother to update their reports it seems.

Doc

Sorry Heli Doc, but you need more concrete evidence than that!

If your mother had that information, did she inform the police?

You might be best reading Docs post more carefully...

Thanks for your post Helicopter Doctor. I will send you a PM shortly.

FL