VH-BAG

• FK254
  
• 42-32174
  
• VHCEE (callsign)
  

Subsequent Identities:

• VH-BYG (NTU)
  

History:

	Ordered by the Royal Air Force as FK254 but order subsequently cancelled
30JUN42	To USAAF as C-60-LO serial 42-32174
22SEP42	Arrived Brisbane
SEP42	Assigned to 21TCS as VHCEE (callsign)
OCT42	Assigned 22TCS
	Assigned 39TCS
08JUL43	Delivered to 36 Sqn RAAF as VHCEE named "Tiki"
10FEB44	Flown from Townsville to Eagle Farm (Brisbane) on return to USAAF
29FEB44	To Guinea Airways Ltd as VHCEE
01MAR44	Special CofA X15 issued
02JUN45	WFS and parked at Parafield. Subsequently returned to USAAF
FEB46	Sold to Aircrafts Pty Ltd, Archerfield, QLD and converted at Parafield
28NOV46	Registered VH-BAG to Aircrafts Pty Ltd (CofR 1215)
16DEC46	Sold to Truth and Sportsman Ltd (a newspaper which had acquired a half share in APL) and leased back to Aircrafts Pty Ltd
18MAY47	Operated Brisbane-Maryborough-Bundaberg-Rockhampton-Bundaberg-Maryborough-Archerfield-Maryborough-Archerfield by Bronte Pannell. (Source: Log Book of Bronte Pannell via Nigel Daw)
48	Re-registered to Aircrafts Pty Ltd
JUL48	Leased to Guinea Air Traders, Lae for one month during the overhaul of DC-3 VH-GAT. The Lodestar was to be re-registered VH-BYG as BAG had become a prohibited registration. In the event this did not proceed.
18OCT48	APL changed their operating name to Queensland Airlines
NOV48	Livery changed with addition of Queensland Airlines titles in red above the cabin windows
10MAR49	The aircraft departed Coolangatta (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 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. APL's Chief Pilot, 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. [This account is drawn from "Air Crash" Vol 2, pp.99-105 by Macarthur Job published in 1992 by Aerospace Publications (ISBN 1 875671 01 3). This book, and others in the series, are highly recommended.]
01MAY67	The burned and corroded remains of one of the engines from VH-BAG was noted next to a flying school building at Coolangatta Airport. The engine had been uncovered earlier during earthworks at the airport. Although there was a suggestion that the engine might be incorporated into a memorial, nothing eventuated and the ultimate fate of the engine is unknown. (See photo above).

Issue	Date	Remarks
7	04MAY12	Added details of a flight on 18MAY47 thanks to Nigel Daw.
6	05NOV04	Added more details of the crash drawn from Mac Job's excellent book "Air Crash" Vol. 2.
5	07OCT04	It is now believed that the inaugural Brisbane to Melbourne service on 09SEP46 was operated by VH-ARY and not VH-ARZ as stated in Issue #4.
4	29AUG04	Deleted reference to the commencement of Brisbane to Melbourne service on 09SEP48 as the commencement date is now known to have been 09SEP46. This means that the service could not have been inaugurated with VH-BAG as this aeroplane was still undergoing overhaul at this time. Therefore the Melbourne service must have been inaugurated with VH-ARZ (which see). Thanks to Roger McDonald for this correction.
3	02JAN00	Corrected Guinea Air Transport to Guinea Air Traders.

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