Date & Time:
Oct 21, 1966
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland Australia DHA-3 Drover
Operator:
Registration:
VP-PAD
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Lenakel – Ipao
MSN:
5002
YOM:
1947
Country:
Vanuatu
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
7
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
8
Aircraft flight hours:
1853
Circumstances:
The three engine aircraft departed Lenakel Airstrip (Tanna Island) on a flight to Ipao, Futuna Island, Vanuatu. En route, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and as the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were conducted. Three days later, the burned wreckage was found in a gorge located on Mt Tokugmera (1,084 meters high) located in the center of Tanna Island. All eight occupants were killed, including the airline's Chief Pilot and Operations Manager, Paul H. Burton.
