Dates

Event

Constructed as a DC-6B.
Douglas DC-6B 44694.

16 December 1954

Assigned civil registration: VH-INU

27 February 1955

To Australian National Airways Pty. Ltd keeping c/r VH-INU.
Named *Kwinana*.

From 27 February 1955 to 3 March 1955

Ferry flight.
Route: Los Angeles - San Francisco - Honolulu - Canton Island - Nadi - Melbourne.

21 October 1957

To Ansett-ANA keeping c/r VH-INU.
Transferred to Ansett-ANA following the Ansett purchase of A.N.A.

26 February 1960

Leased to Trans Australia Airlines.

From Circa 1960 to Circa 1960

Leased to Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL).

May 1963

Photographer: Geoff Goodall
Notes: VH-INU was one of two Ansett-ANA DC-6Bs exchanged with opposition airline TAA for three of their Viscount 700s, underthe three year Cross-Charter Agreement in 1960. This was forced upon both airlines by the Australian Government as part of the notorious political Two Airline Policy, which endeavoured to keep the two airlines equal. VH-INU at Adelaide in May 1963.

29 August 1966

Returned from loan to Ansett-ANA.

11 May 1967

Withdrawn from use.

November 1967

Photographer: Geoff Goodall
Notes: VH-INU reverted to Ansett-ANA until retired in 1967. Here it is in November 1967 parked in the Essendon Airport aircraft storage area pending sale, with Ansett-ANA titles painted over. It went to Far East Air Transport, Taiwan as B-2005

18 December 1967

Civil registration, VH-INU, cancelled.

18 December 1967

To Far Eastern Air Transport (F. E. A. T.) with new c/r B-2005.

Circa June 1968

Leased to Air Vietnam-June 1968.

By 22 December 1969

To Air Vietnam with new c/r B-2005 (Douglas DC-6B, 44694/558).

22 December 1969

Crashed.
Summary: The airframe was destroyed. There were 10 fatalities. The domestic scheduled passenger flight departed Saigon-Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN/VVTS), Vietnam and was destined for Nha Trang Airport (NHA/VVNT), Vietnam. The accident occurred at Nha Trang Airport (NHA) (Vietnam) while landing. Narrative: An explosion occurred while descending for Nha Trang Airport. A 1,5 m hole was blown in the fuselage near the port cabin washroom (slightly ahead of the engines). The hydraulic system failed, so the undercarriage was lowered by gravity...
For a complete description of the event read the Aviation Safety Network Report.

22 December 1969

Destroyed in a crash.
Crashed into a school at Nha Trang, near Saigon, Vietnam. Crash was caused by the detonation of an explosive device in the cabin resulting in damaged hydraulics.