Date & Time: Nov 15, 1945 at 0920 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
A65-54
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Lae – Finschhafen – Jacquinot Bay – Rabaul
MSN:
13339
YOM:
1944
Location:
Jacquinot Bay
East New Britain
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
25
Pax fatalities:
25
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
28
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Jacquinot Bay Airstrip at 0900LT bound for Rabaul with Australian and Indian soldiers on board. About 20 minutes later, while cruising in poor weather conditions, the aircraft hit the slope of an unnamed mountain located in the region of the Wide Bay. The wreckage was found at 150 feet from the summit and all 28 occupants were killed.
Crew (33rd Squadron):
F/Lt Ron Alexander Hanrahan, pilot,
F/Lt Grahame Patrick Lobwein, copilot,
F/Sgt Douglas Albert Bruderlin, radio operator.
Passengers:
Sister Verdun Bernice Sheah,
Cpl Hugh Cushing,
Cpl Stanley William Bridge,
LAC Maurice James Mills,
LAC Norman Harold Blake,
Seaman David Thomas Bristow,
Seaman Edgar Murry Hancock,
Lt John Lisle Honey,
Lt Leonard Henry Beard,
Lt Col Thomas Dennis Hannon,
W/O Clive Frederick Martin,
Maj Lionel Charles Saunders,
Lt William Reaburn Grieve,
Pvt Ronald Arthur Spencer
Sepoy Lakhu Ram,
Sepoy Shiv Singh,
Cpl Dina Nath,
Sepoy Jan Abdullah,
Sepoy Chain Singh,
Sgt Humir Singh,
Sgt Chint Singh,
2nd Lt Abdul Ratif
Sepoy Jogandel Singh,
Cpl Shai Singh,
Sepoy Chelu Rham.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.