Region
Oceania
code

PNG

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson III in Piva: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 23, 1945 at 0924 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
NZ2012
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Honiara - Piva
MSN:
414-3825
YOM:
1941
Location:
Piva
Autonomous Region of Bougainville
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On final approach, the twin engine aircraft stalled, crashed onto the runway and exploded. Two crew members were seriously injured while three others were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Robert Lamason, †
F/O Wilfred Hall, †
LAC John Medhurst, †
W/O P. Doody,
LAC R. McAnich.

Ground accident of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in Port Moresby

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
A65-53
Flight Phase:
Taxiing
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
13441
YOM:
1944
Location:
Port Moresby
National Capital District
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The C-47 developed brake trouble, collided with RAAF Consolidated B-24M-10-CO Liberator A72-182 and ran into a ditch. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-1-DL near Wau: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-16204
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
20670
YOM:
1944
Location:
Wau
Morobe
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crashed near Wau, killing both pilots.
Crew:
S/Sgt Ralph C. Coffman,
2nd Lt Jacob Enneus. Wondaal.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-5-DK near But: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 17, 1945 at 1545 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
A65-34
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Aitape-Tadji - Aitape-Tadji
MSN:
12250
YOM:
1944
Location:
But
Sandaun (West Sepik)
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Aircraft flight hours:
1742
Circumstances:
The crew left Aitape-Tadji Airfield on a supply mission to the Malin-Walum area located west of Wewak. Enroute, the aircraft crashed and burned near But and was totally destroyed. Four crew members and two passengers were killed. Two crewmen were seriously injured.
Crew (36th Squadron):
S/L L. K. Jackson, pilot,
F/Lt K. R. C. Mathews, copilot, †
F/Sgt D. G. Campbell, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Pvt J. G. Law,
Sgt H. M. Whaling, †
Pvt E. J. Collins. †
Passengers:
Cpl A. E. Guy, †
Cpl K. Harden. †

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura off Piva: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
Operator:
Registration:
NZ4623
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Piva – Emirau
MSN:
6338
YOM:
1944
Location:
Piva
Autonomous Region of Bougainville
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Few minutes after take off from Piva Aerodrome, en route to Emirau Island, the twin engine aircraft crashed into the sea some 15 miles offshore. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found, except two dinghies and a headset.
Crew (4th Squadron):
W/Cdr Norman Lecher,
F/Lt John Wright,
F/Lt Harald Thomson,
W/O William Boughey,
F/O Barclay Harrington,
Sgt Lewis Mawson,
Sgt Rex Mossman.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura near the Aita River: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
Operator:
Registration:
NZ4634
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
6396
Location:
Bougainville Island
Autonomous Region of Bougainville
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a supply mission. After some of the load was dropped, while flying in a valley, the pilot increased power on both engines to leave the valley but the aircraft hit the ridge of a mountain and crashed. Four crew members were killed while the fifth occupant was seriously injured.
Crew (1st Squadron):
F/Sgt N. Gardiner,
F/Lt Dennis Hobbs, †
F/Lt Robert Scarlett, †
W/O Stanley Nuttall, †
F/Sgt Fred Murphy. †

Crash of a Noorduyn UC-64A Norseman Off Bogala: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 21, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Noorduyn Norseman
Operator:
Registration:
A71-1
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
179
YOM:
1943
Location:
Bogala (Basilaki Island)
Milne Bay
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed into the sea off Bogala for unknown reason. All three occupants were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Frank Henry Rossiter, pilot,
LAC John Norman George Dunn,
LAC Clifford David Searle.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina off Momote: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
04501
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Momote - Momote
Location:
Momote
Manus
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While landing at the Momote Seaplane Base, on Manus Island, the floatplane landed hard and came to rest with one wing sheared off and the bow collapsed. The captain was killed while all five other occupants were injured.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-5 near Kokoda: 17 killed

Date & Time: Jul 23, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
39090
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Cairns – Momote
MSN:
13859
YOM:
1943
Location:
Kokoda
Central
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
En route, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located some 30 km west of Kokoda, in the center PNG. The wreckage was eventually found in 1970. All 17 occupants were killed. Other source reports the accident occurred in the region of Cairns.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura off Bougainville Island: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 14, 1944 at 1010 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 9 Orion
Operator:
Registration:
NZ4530
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
5641
Location:
Bougainville Island
Autonomous Region of Bougainville
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a maritime patrol flight north of the Solomon Islands. En route, an engine failed, forcing the crew to fly back to his base. The aircraft eventually crashed into the sea some 150 miles northeast of the Bougainville Island. All five occupants were killed.
Crew (9th Squadron):
F/O Reginald Mather,
P/O Jack Battye,
W/O Ivan Lorenzen,
Sgt Henry Mosen,
F/S William Neave.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.
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