Investigation Summary
The aircraft involved, serial 40-2072 (MSN 2073), was a combat veteran that had survived the Japanese attack on Clark Field in 1941 and returned to Australia with over 1,100 bullet holes. By 1943, it had been converted into a transport for R&R leave flights and was operated by the 46th Troop Carrier Squadron, 317th Troop Carrier Group of the US Fifth Air Force. The airframe was notoriously difficult to maintain, requiring roughly 10 to 12 hours of maintenance for every 8 hours of flight. This led to the nickname 'Miss Every Morning Fixin', often shortened by the crew to 'Miss EMF'. In the ten days preceding the crash, mechanics had installed two new engines and a new fuel tank. On the morning of the accident, the flight was delayed by 30 minutes, eventually departing at 06:00 into a low-lying fog bank. Witnesses reported seeing flames along the fuselage or wings before the aircraft performed a low-altitude turn, likely in an attempt to return to the airfield, before crashing into the trees at Bakers Creek.
Final Conclusions
The official cause remains undetermined. While the only contemporary official report by the Queensland Police suggested pilot error, modern analysis by aviation historians and former crew chiefs points to a combination of factors: a heavily loaded and aerodynamically degraded airframe, potential engine failure or fire, and the high workload placed on a relatively inexperienced crew (both pilots had approximately 300 total flight hours) attempting to maneuver at low altitude in instrument conditions.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Crew Experience
Pilot
1st Lt Vern J. Gidcumb Jr.
Co-Pilot
F/O William C. Erb
Systems & Failure Modes
Engines
Two new engines had been installed just days before the flight; witnesses reported fire or power loss shortly after takeoff.
Airframe
A heavily repaired B-17C model that had suffered extreme battle damage in 1941, potentially affecting its aerodynamic performance.
Interesting Facts
- 01It remains the deadliest aviation accident in Australian history.
- 02The aircraft had over 1,100 bullet holes from previous combat missions before being converted to a transport.
- 03The crash was kept secret from the public during the war due to military censorship.
- 04The sole survivor, Sgt. Robert Foye, was located in the tail section which severed upon impact.
- 05The aircraft was nicknamed 'Miss Every Morning Fixin' (Miss EMF) because of its constant mechanical issues.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Memorialization and Recognition
Following decades of secrecy, memorials were established at Bakers Creek (1992) and Arlington National Cemetery (2009) to honor the victims and highlight the risks of military transport operations.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Wartime Censorship
Reference ↗The accident was not reported in the press at the time, and the families of the deceased were initially told only that the men had been killed in action, leading to decades of limited public knowledge about the disaster.