As the aircraft flew eastwards over the outer suburbs of Perth numerous witnesses observed that it was flying at a lower altitude than usual for the daily Skymaster services, and at least one of the engines was running roughly and backfiring at regular intervals.

[10][11] As it flew east over the outer suburbs of Perth numerous people on the ground observed that it was flying unusually low, and heard at least one of its engines running roughly and backfiring repeatedly.

Several residents reported seeing a bright flash of white light in the distance, followed by a loud crashing and scraping noise.

He became concerned that the vivid white flash and the ground fire might indicate some tragedy had befallen the Amana so he advised Air Traffic Control about his observations.

Air Traffic Control was also concerned about the Amana's failure to report at Cunderdin so on hearing MacDonald's observations of the vivid white flash and the ground fire they activated emergency procedures.

MacDonald did so and advised Air Traffic Control of bearings from the fire to York and Northam, the towns nearest the crash site.

[10][15][18] Frank McNamara (62), a beekeeper, and Geoff Inkpen (25), a young farmer, heard the sound of a big aircraft in serious trouble, flying low nearby.

[12][21] In response to notification from Air Traffic Control, three ambulances from Perth were despatched in the direction of the crash site, known to be somewhere between Chidlow and York.

[9][24] Frank McNamara and Geoff Inkpen were publicly thanked by the Minister for Civil Aviation for the great assistance they rendered to the rescue effort throughout the night.

His body was a short distance away from his seat and both were a few metres ahead of the wreckage where they had been thrown after the nose of the aircraft was split open in the impact with a large tree.

[24][33][35][36] One passenger, Stan Baker, had narrowly avoided taking the flight of the Southern Cloud that crashed on 21 March 1931, and had a lifelong fear of flying.

They found the Amana had crashed in a heavily timbered area on the Inkpen family property Berry Brow, on the easterly track between Perth airport and Kalgoorlie, at a point where the elevation was about 1,100 feet (340 m) above sea level.

It crashed through large trees, breaking them off as if they were matchsticks, before impacting the ground violently and gouging a long, wide furrow.

Investigators speculated that the crew may have been turning with the intention of returning to Perth airport; or they may have been preparing for a crash-landing in a large clear area to the north of the crash site.

[9][8][11] Possibly as a result of rough-running of one or more of its engines, the Amana was observed flying over Perth's outer-eastern suburbs at an unusually low altitude.

[41] Charles Gibbs, an engine specialist employed by the Department of Civil Aviation, estimated at least 45 cubic centimetres of water must have been involved.

Inquiries were made to the engine manufacturer and other civil aviation authorities but none had prior experience of vapour vent floats collapsing.

[45] Australian National Airways (ANA) ground staff in Sydney checked the Amana's fuel tanks for the presence of water prior to its first departure on 26 June.

The fuel tanks themselves were not checked, partly because, on the night of 26 June, the ground staff were "pressed for time" because one despatch engineer was absent due to illness.

[40] ANA was of the opinion that if a small amount of water entered a fuel tank during refuelling it would only reach the drain cocks when the aircraft was in level flight so it could not be detected immediately after re-fuelling.

For 15 years ANA had operated in the knowledge that the only satisfactory time to check fuel tanks for the presence of water was prior to the first flight of the day, after the aircraft had been stationary overnight.

[43][55] Western Australia's Deputy Mineralogist gave evidence that he had identified magnesium hydroxide, a corrosion product, in fuel passages in one of Amana's engines.

[47] However, Justice Simpson stated that the re-opened Inquiry served only to confirm his view that the Amana's loss of power was not due to water in the fuel.

Justice Simpson's report contained recommendations to deal with the irregularities: During the House of Representatives debate on the report, the Minister, Larry Anthony, stated that he had already asked fuel companies to check their tanker wagons for the presence of water after each replenishment, and the relevant Air Navigation Order would be amended to require fuel to be drained into transparent containers.

Due either to the wind or the slipstream from Amana's propellers as it began to taxi prior to take-off, the almost-empty container was blown over and rolled some distance along the apron where it was found the next morning.

[39] Some employees of ANA speculated that approximately ten minutes after take-off the crew of Amana were aware of the seriousness of rough running on number 4 engine so decided to shut it down.

The crew of Amana on the fatal flight might have decided to wait until past Kalgoorlie before making a radio call to report one engine had been shut down, and then continue to Adelaide.

[64] Two accidents involving Douglas DC-4s, one approaching Dublin Airport, Ireland, in 1961[66] and another approaching Stockport Airport, Manchester, United Kingdom, in 1967[67] were attributed to interruption of fuel supply when engines were supplied from the cross-feed system which was open to an empty fuel tank, allowing air to be drawn into the cross-feed pipe.

Geoff Inkpen stated that after completion of an Inquiry a bulldozer would be used to dig a ditch at the crash site and what remained of the Amana would be buried.

[70] A small memorial to the loss of the Amana, its passengers and crew, has been created in the aeronautical museum in the town of Beverley, 29 miles (47 km) south-east of the crash site.