Accidently acquainted with Garfield … 59 years on
It was a clear blue sky on a warm Friday morning of January 17, 1958.
Pimply faced 15-year-old Air Force Cadet Ken Sumsion along with 24 other excited, adventurous RAAF ATC cadets plus a reserve instructor, RAAF photographer, civilian scientist and two pilots, boarded an ARDU Dakota A65-99 at the RAAF Base at Laverton for an “air experience” flight to RAAF Base East Sale and return.
Ken recently visited the Garfield paddock where the plane made a crash landing 59 years ago alongside Garfield historian Mary White, Colin Teese who went to the crash site as a boy and current property owner Rhonda Olsen.
Throughout the flight, Ken recalls being seated on the starboard side of the fuselage near the wing.
“Right from take-off I was continuously looking through the window at everything possible when I noticed some oil coming out of the starboard engine,” said Ken. “This became quite a stream and, after a time, the propeller stopped and restarted a few times, but eventually remained stationary. I had been trying without success to bring this to the attention of the others, but when it stayed stopped I got their attention!”
“I had also noticed oil coming out of the port engine as well. About this time, we were advised by the pilot that we turning around and heading for Moorabbin Airport. I remember flying very low over a building I thought was the Bunyip Post Office and, I would think, leaving a trail of oil.”
However, returning to Moorabbin soon became out of the question.
“Not long after turning back, a cadet who had been up front with the flight crew came out and very calmly told us we were about to make an emergency forced landing and to fasten our seat belts. I suddenly discovered that my seat belt had no buckle and I just had to hang on grimly to the conduit armrest next to my seat.
“There was no sign of panic or stress at any stage. It was all happening so very fast. However, looking down at my hands, I vividly remember that my knuckles had turned a whiter shade of pale.”
“The Dakota glided towards the ground smoothly and silently. For a moment time stood still. Contact with the tops of the Cyprus trees was slight and didn’t bother me. Contact with ground, wheels up, was smooth too.
“Sliding along the ground for about 500 metres, there was a bit of clattering as we demolished a post and wire fence. I saw bits of it whizz past the window. We missed everything that mattered – the road, the ditch, the pine trees, the house, the concrete water tower and the 22kV power lines.
“It was quite eerie after the dust blew away – quiet and peaceful. I remember we marched out of the aircraft in an orderly fashion. Fortunately, nobody was injured.
“My most memorable moment following the crash is of the ladies who suddenly appeared as if by magic out of nowhere with food and drinks. They were so kind, comforting and efficient, and it was if it were all a routine part of their day’s activities.
As I got older, the yearning to kick over the traces had increased. I made a start in 1999 by buying some newspapers reporting the crash and scratching around on the internet. I have the relevant “Sun” front page framed in my work room.
“I played a plate event at Garfield Golf Club some 12 years ago and afterwards took a drive around and thought I may have found the paddock in question. I was a bit occupied in running a small business then, and didn’t go on with it. Now I live at Emerald and, since our golf club closed down, I have joined the Garfield Golf Club and have reconnected with the town that I became ‘accidently’ acquainted with 59 years ago.”
After the plane crash, the plane, that had flown 4886.35 hours, was taken away from Garfield as junk. The airframe was rebuilt and eventually operated its first revenue service as a charter flight from Port Moresby to Popondetta return on August 25, 1961.
It was scrapped at Madang and the remains were used as harbour fill on December 29, 1978.