CRASH OF A SEAGULL AIRCRAFT
OFF COAL POINT NEAR RATHMINES, NSW
ON 9 APRIL 1943

RAAF Seagull aircraft, A2-8, piloted by Flying Officer V.A. Hiles, had an engine failure and made a forced landing on 9 April 1943 in the water off Coal Point near Rathmines in New South Wales.

F/O Hiles had just finished a drogue towing exercise and had just dropped the drogue over Rathmines base.  He had just finished winding in the wire cable back into the camera hatch, and before he could close the hatch the engine failed. The Seagull quickly filled with water and sank to the bottom of the lake.

Flying Officer V.A. Hiles and Flight Sergeant Cheesman escaped uninjured. Corporal Cummings and the salvage crew lowered the Seagull's wheels while it was still on the bottom of the lake and towed it to shore under water.

REFERENCE BOOKS

Newton, John, "RAAF Rathmines", 1977

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Barry Pattison for his assistance with this home page.

Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 23 January 2001

This page last updated 27 January 2020