Date & Time:
Apr 26, 1943 at 2320 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
A24-43
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Cairns - Cairns
MSN:
1096
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Took off from Cairns at 1500LT to drop supplies to coastwatchers at two locations: Aita, Bougainville (for Coastwatcher Jack Read) and Bunbun, New Ireland. Arriving at Aita at 2300LT, the drop zone was easily located with the Catalina flying at 10,000', with clear skies and no moon visible. They commenced the drop and made two left circuits, dropping two parachutes. Prior to the third drop, an impact was heard and engine revved to full power at 2320LT. The Catalina impacted trees and crashed on a ridge. Three crew members were killed while six others were rescued.
Crew (11th Squadron):
F/Lt William James Clark, pilot, †
F/O John Nigel Elmhurst Potts, copilot, †
Sgt Dudley James Ward, flight engineer, †
F/O Clifton Stuart Dunn, navigator,
Cpl John Fenwick, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/O Colin J. Twist,
Cpl Ronald Hugh Alexander Wettenhall,
Sgt Frederick Gordon Thompson,
Cpl Herbert Yates.
Source: http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/pby/A24-43.html
Crew (11th Squadron):
F/Lt William James Clark, pilot, †
F/O John Nigel Elmhurst Potts, copilot, †
Sgt Dudley James Ward, flight engineer, †
F/O Clifton Stuart Dunn, navigator,
Cpl John Fenwick, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/O Colin J. Twist,
Cpl Ronald Hugh Alexander Wettenhall,
Sgt Frederick Gordon Thompson,
Cpl Herbert Yates.
Source: http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/pby/A24-43.html
