Families and the Winton community have commemorated the 60th anniversary of Ansett-ANA Flight 149, which crashed near the western Queensland town on September 22, 1966.
The aircraft had departed Mount Isa for Brisbane via Longreach when an onboard fire developed. It broke apart during an emergency descent and crashed on a cattle property about 19 kilometres west of Winton, killing all 24 people aboard.
The disaster prompted one of Australia's largest aviation investigations. A federal inquiry concluded that a worn blower motor caught fire and contributed to an engine fire, structural damage and the aircraft's break-up.
Relatives and residents gathered in Winton on Tuesday to remember those who died. An oral-history project led by the daughter of co-pilot John Gillam continues to collect accounts of the tragedy's long impact on families, the community and aviation safety.
Source: ABC Western Queensland, 22 September 2026.
Image disclosure: The featured image is an AI-generated commemorative illustration using a generic 1960s aircraft silhouette and a fictional outback memorial. It is not a photograph of Flight 149, the crash site or the Winton ceremony.
