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:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Alotau – Dobodura
MSN:
13920/25365
YOM:
1944
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
16
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
19
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.
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.
