Zone

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-15-DK in Lae

Date & Time: Nov 18, 1987
Operator:
Registration:
P2-006
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
15192/26637
YOM:
1944
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After liftoff at Lae-Nadzab Airport, one of the engine failed. The crew attempted an emergency landing in a pasture when one wing struck an obstacle. The airplane belly landed and came to rest. There were no casualties.
Probable cause:
Engine failure for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-20 Islander near Lae: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 20, 1987
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
P2-KAD
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Ogeranang – Lae
MSN:
800
YOM:
1977
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane was completing a cargo flight from Ogeranang to Lae, carrying two pilots and a load of coffee. While cruising at an altitude of 8,700 feet in marginal weather conditions, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located in the Rawlinson Mountain Range. The wreckage was found 32 km from Lae. Both occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of an Embraer EMB-110P2 Bandeirante in Port Moresby

Date & Time: Nov 4, 1982 at 0510 LT
Operator:
Registration:
P2-RDL
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Port Moresby - Lae
MSN:
110-300
YOM:
1980
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Just after liftoff, the left engine failed. The pilot decided to land back but the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, went through two perimeter fence and came to rest 60 meters further, bursting into flames. The pilot, sole on board, was uninjured.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine during initial climb for unknown reasons.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 100 in Garaina: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 28, 1978 at 1040 LT
Operator:
Registration:
P2-RDE
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lae – Garaina
MSN:
84
YOM:
1968
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances while on approach to Garaina Airstrip. The pilot, sole on board, was killed. He was completing a cargo flight from Lae-Nadzab Airport.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou inKudjeru Gap: 25 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1972 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A4-233
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Lae - Port Moresby
MSN:
233
YOM:
1965
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
25
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a flight from Lae to Port Moresby, carrying three crew members and 26 cadets of the PNG Army. After passing over Wau in good weather conditions, the pilot decided to enter the Kudjeru Gap Valley when the weather conditions worsened rapidly with clouds up to 10,500 feet. At an altitude of 5,000 feet while trying to gain height, the right wing struck trees and the aircraft crashed on the slope of a mountain, about 50 meters below the summit. The wreckage was found three days later. Five injured passengers were evacuated but one of them died from his injuries.
Probable cause:
The pilot entered an area of low visibility and the accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414-56 Hudson IIIA off Lae: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 8, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VH-AGG
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lae - Wewak - Lae
MSN:
414-6486
YOM:
1942
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Carrying one pilot, a navigator and a photographer, the aircraft departed Lae on a photographic survey flight over the Wewak area, but conditions proved unfavourable for photography and it was decided to return to Lae. Lae tower was called five minutes before arrival and landing instructions were passed, in which it was advised that Runway 32 was to be used, the wind velocity being 300 degrees at 15 knots with gusts to 20 knots. Just before turning on to base leg the aircraft was cleared to do a practice asymmetric landing, but was warned to expect turbulence on the final approach. This was acknowledged by the aircraft. Witnesses agree that the aircraft was very low at the time of entering the final approach from a right-hand base leg with the left-hand propeller feathered. They also agreed that, following what sounded to be a marked increase in the power setting when 300 yards from the end of the strip, the aircraft rolled to the left and dived into the water in a partly inverted attitude. All three occupants perished.
Crew:
Allen Motteram, pilot,
Patrick Murphy, navigator,
Passenger:
Gordon Murrell, photographer.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mg in Wau

Date & Time: Mar 21, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VH-BUW
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wau – Lae
MSN:
641375
YOM:
1943
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
GSA pilot Peter Manser was making a down-hill takeoff on the sloping strip, carrying a heavy load of sawn timber. Just before becoming airborne the port engine suddenly lost all power, causing the aircraft to swing violently to the left and roll towards the Qantas terminal building and freight shed. The Qantas agent Mrs. Ivy Crawford saw it approaching and ran through the passenger room out on to the airfield and jumped over an embankment as the aircraft struck the building. The port wing sliced through the wooden structure, the roof collapsing as the Junkers kept rolling on to a road, tearing off its rear fuselage before Manser could bring it to a stop. The fuselage was broken into three sections and 12 feet was smashed off the port wing.
Source:
http://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/junkers ju52/junkersju52.html
Probable cause:
The accident was probably caused by a loss of power, for reasons undetermined, at a critical stage of the takeoff.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.84 Dragon in Karanka: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 21, 1951 at 0730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VH-AXL
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lae – Wabag
MSN:
2071
YOM:
1943
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot, Captain Frederick G. Barlogie, was performing a cargo flight from Lae to Wabag. En route, he encountered poor conditions with reduced visibility due to smoke haze. The twin engine aircraft was flying at an insufficient height when it hit obstacles and crashed in a wooded area located 5 km from Katanka Airstrip. The aircraft was destroyed and the sole occupant was killed.
Probable cause:
Investigation found that the pilot continued the flight under conditions of reduced visibility in severe smoke haze so that flight in sight of ground could only be maintained at a dangerously low altitude.

Crash of a De Havilland DHA-3 Drover 1 off Lae: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1951 at 0907 LT
Operator:
Registration:
VH-EBQ
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wau – Bulolo – Lae
MSN:
5003
YOM:
31
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Aircraft flight hours:
200
Circumstances:
The three engine aircraft left Bulolo at 0835LT bound for Lae. 31 minutes later, while approaching Lae Airport, the pilot informed ground about his position over the mouth of Markham River. While flying in a visibility of two miles due to rain falls, the pilot lost control of the aircraft that crashed in to the Huon Gulf, about four miles south of Lae Airport. Some debris were found around noon and all seven occupants were killed, among them the pilot Captain J. W. Spiers.
Source:
http://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/drover/drover.htm
Probable cause:
The initial finding of investigation by DCA and QEA was a pilot error in that he continued the flight under VFR into reduced visibility in low cloud and rain. The wreckage salvaged included the centre propeller which was missing blade. This was assumed to be caused by the impact with the sea. However, after the ditching of VH-DHA on 16APR1952, renewed investigations revealed that the missing centre propeller blade had suffered a structural failure and broke away in flight, causing the engine to pull out of its mounting and the pilot to lose control of the aircraft that crashed into the sea.

Crash of a Noorduyn UC-64A Norseman in Goroka

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VH-BNL
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lae – Goroka
MSN:
270
YOM:
1943
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The day prior to the accident, while on a cargo flight from Lae to Goroka, the pilot Frank J. Goosens was forced to attempt an emergency landing in a field located five miles southeast of Goroka due to poor visibility. After he spent the night in the aircraft, he decided to leave the area bound for Goroka when, during the takeoff roll, the left wing hit an earth mound. The aircraft crashed, injuring the pilot.