The Southern Cloud, registered VH-UMF, was one of 5 three-engine Avro 618 Ten aircraft flying daily airline services between several Australian cities for Australian National Airways in the early 1930s. On 21 March 1931, the Southern Cloud departed at 8:10 AM from Sydney for Melbourne. Onboard were six passengers and two crewmembers, including pilot Travis "Shorty" Shortridge. Weather conditions en route were hazardous and much worse than predicted. The aircraft never reached its destination and disappeared.
It was Australia's first major airline disaster. Australian National Airways folded later that year as a result of both this and another loss. A film inspired by the accident, Secret of the Skies, was released in 1934.
The Southern Cloud's fate remained a mystery for 27 years until 26 October 1958. On that day, Mr. Tom Sonter, a worker on the Snowy Mountains Project, accidentally discovered the wreck. The crash site was in heavily timbered mountainous terrain within the Snowy Mountains about 25 kilometres (16 mi) east of the direct Sydney–Melbourne route.
Investigations concluded that the severe weather conditions at the time of the flight most likely contributed to the crash.
Vehicle Accidents
Links: en.wikipedia.org
By: kkeps
