Sydney Thursday, August 25th 1960 AIRLINER IN FLAMES Qantas Crash Six Injured A Sydney-bound Qantas Super Constellation carrying 38 passengers and a crew of 12, crashed at 100mph when taking off from Mauritius Airport in darkness early today. As the giant plane skidded along the runway, the 6000 gallon fuel tanks burst and flames enveloped the aircraft as it ploughed into soft earth and stopped. Despite the fire and the force of the impact only six passengers were injured, including three who were burned. Onlookers who saw the 50-ton aircraft shoot uncontrolled down the runway said the the passengers' escape was a miracle. They feared that any second flames would reach the fuel supply and cause an explosion, with heavy loss of life. But they were amazed to see excape hatches open and passengers, who had flead through smoke and flames, jump to saftey. Many of the 32 passengers who excapted seriouse injury were badley shaken and slightly bruised. The miracle escape by the passengers and crew was highlighted by reports from Mauritius which said the aircraft was so badly dammaged that it may never fly again. Early reports also indicated that the plan's skipper, Captain E. Ditton of Sydney, saved the lives of the passengers and crew by his quick action and presence of mind. As the flames spread through the aircraft he swiched of the the fuel supply and prevented the fuel from ignighting and blowing the Super Constellation to pieces. The airliner is the One Million Pound, Southern Wave, which in August last year flew Princess Alexandra from Vancouver to Canberra to start her Australian tour. It also flew her from Canberra to Bangkok. Brakes Did Not Hold The crash occured soon after midnight as the Southern Wave began its take off on the flight to Cocos Island, Perth and then Sydney, where it was due at 6.30am tomorrow. In tense, dramatic moments, Captain Ditton gave a running radio commentary of his fight to prevent a major disaster. The number three motor failed as the plane sped along the wet and greasy runway. He found little acceleration, caused by the motors failure, and tried to stop the huge plane. It did not slacken speed although the brakes were on hard. It skidded along the tarmac at 100 mph, and within split seconds, shot off the runway and onto the soft earth beyond. Children amongst the passengers were carried to safety. Captain Ditton (48) lives at Warraidine Rd, Roseville, and has been flying 25 years. In Sydney, Qantas officials said another Super Constellation would leave here today to pick up the passengers and crew at Maurutius. It would return at the weekend. Mr John Ulm, special assistant to the Qantas management, said today that since 1948, when the first modern post - war aircraft were put into service, Qantas planes had flown 148 million miles without a major accident. In that time Qantas aircraft had clocked 723,000 flying hours. The Injured passengers, all of whom had booked to Perth or Sydney, are: Miss Carol Thompson, possible fractured arm; Mrs Alice Doreen Spence, second degree burn on arm; Audrey Kellock, fractured legs; John Michael Taylor, brusied kneecap; Gillian Hannah Meyer, second and first degree burns on arms and head; Miss Susan Demerster, first and second degree burns on arms.