Alotau | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Shortly after takeoff from Alotau Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft caught fire and suffered an explosion. It entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in shallow water about 2 km offshore. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and all 15 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

An investigation conducted by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) revealed that an explosion and fire occurred shortly after takeoff, causing the electrical system to fail. The fire's source probably was the terminal board between the inverters and a control relay. Kerosene carried in passenger luggage in the Twin Otter's aft cargo hold possibly began leaking and was possibly ignited by faulty or age-deteriorated electrical wiring.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-26 Islander near Alotau: 6 killed

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1992

Type of aircraft:

Britten-Norman Islander

Operator:

Registration:

P2-MBE

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Alotau – Bwagaoia

MSN:

194

YOM:

1970

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Alotau Airport, the pilot followed the published departure procedure for about 17 km when he initiated a turn to the left bound to the northwest, always below clouds. Then, the aircraft entered clouds when, less than two minutes later, it struck the slope of a mountain located some 25 km from Alotau. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain after the pilot was flying under VFR mode in IMC conditions.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DK off Alotau: 19 killed

Date & Time: Sep 11, 1945 at 1015 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

A65-56

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Alotau – Dobodura

MSN:

13920/25365

YOM:

1944

Location:

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Aircraft flight hours:

1911

Circumstances:

One minute after takeoff from Alotau Airport, while climbing, the captain informed ground he was encountering bad weather conditions and elected to return. Shortly later, the aircraft went out of control and apparently crashed into the sea off Alotau. Some debris were found a day later but no trace of the 19 occupants. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were unfavorable with turbulence and rain due to the presence of a tropical storm.
Crew (33rd Squadron):
F/Lt Eric Clarence Beer, pilot,
F/Lt John Francis Mulcahy,
F/Sgt Francis Xavier Sullivan.
Passengers:
Sgt Keith Hugh Devenish,
AC1 Albert John Haslam,
Cpl Neil Stuart Mackay,
LAC William Douglas Goldie Stevens,
Cpl Michael Francis Moran,
Sgt Wesley Greg Doran,
F/O William Patrick Reedman,
F/Sgt James Neville Davis,
F/Sgt Kevin Francis Rutherford,
F/Lt William John Gordon,
Cpl Eastall Lochlan Eastall,
LAC Albert Grant Walton,
LAC Percy Badon Healy,
Cook Gordon Liddell,
Lt Noel Thomas Williams,
Spr Keith Smith.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-25-DK near Samarai Island: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 2, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

KN344

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Sydney – Townsville – Alotau – Momote

MSN:

15912/32660

YOM:

1945

Location:

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Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances near the Samarai Island while performing a cargo flight from Sydney to Momote. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Charles Raymond Kerferd Young, pilot,
F/O Frederick Dunlop Rutledge, navigator,
W/O Kenneth Clement Bevan, radio operator.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-65-DL on Daugo Island

Date & Time: Jun 10, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

42-100628

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Ambulance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Lae - Alotau

MSN:

19091

YOM:

1943

Location:

Daugo Island

National Capital District

Country:

Papua New Guinea

Region:

Oceania

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The Dakota left Lae-Nadzab Airport on a medevac flight to Milne Bay carrying 18 patients and 3 Medical Attendants. Whilst over Dobodura, the crew received radio reports that Milne Bay Airfield was not in service, probably due to poor weather conditions. The crew wanted to divert to Port Moresby. En route, the left engine failed. It then appeared that both Jacksons and Wards fields could not be reached due to low ceiling and rain. The airplane then diverted to the emergency airfield on Fisherman's Island. A belly landing was carried out along the strip. There was no fire and all aboard survived.
Source:
http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19440610-1

Probable cause:

Technical investigation revealed that the left engine had just been replaced and this was the first-flight since the work was done. For the lack of a single cotter-pin and some safety wire in the throttle-linkage, this aircraft ended up crash-landing.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-45-DL near Alotau: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 7, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

A65-15

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Alotau - Port Moresby

MSN:

9997

YOM:

1943

Location:

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Circumstances:

Eleven minutes after its take off from Alotau, in the Milne Bay Province, the aircraft hit a mountain and was destroyed. All four occupants were killed. The aircraft was also wearing the civil registration VH-CTO.
Crew (33th Squadron):
F/Lt R. Head,
Sgt D. H. Palmer,
F/O W. J. Wilson,
LAC W. J. O'Brien.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder near Alotau

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Martin B-26 Marauder

Operator:

Registration:

40-1446

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

1446

YOM:

1940

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Circumstances:

The crew was performing a bombing mission in the region of Alotau when he was forced to attempt an emergency landing due to the explosion of the right engine. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, all eight crew members were unhurt.

Probable cause:

Explosion of the right engine.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA in Milne Bay: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 27, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed L-414 Hudson

Operator:

Registration:

A16-246

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Gurney - Gurney

MSN:

414-6499

YOM:

1942

Location:

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Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft left Gurney Airfield at 0730LT on a reconnaissance mission east of Milne Bay. En route, it was lost, maybe in the region of Gurney - Alotau, east part of the Milne Bay province. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Crew (6th Squadron):
F/O D. L. Gorringe,
F/O G. D. Hum,
Sgt C. L. McCready,
Sgt J. C. McAuliffe.