USAAF Douglas C-47A 42-23589 Wreckage

USAAF Douglas C-47-20-DL Dakota 42-23589 (call sign VH-CGK) was assigned to the 21st Troop Carrier Squadron of the 374th Troop Carrier Group and crewed by men of that unit.

At 7:30am on 16 November 1943, the aircraft departed from Bachelor Airfield, NT bound for Archerfield, Brisbane. Aboard were 4 American crew and 15 passengers, 14 of whom were Australian. During stopovers at Daly Water and then Cloncurry, a further 4 Australian passengers were taken aboard.
While passing over Carnarvon Canyon at approximately 3pm, the aircraft flew through a severe thunderstorm and subsequently crashed. As no sign of fire was later identified on...