Date & Time:
Dec 16, 1934
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth
Operator:
Registration:
VH-UQQ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Salamaua – Wau
MSN:
4021
YOM:
1932
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Struck trees and crashed in Black Cat Creek, in the Bitoi Valley, PNG. The pilot E. D. 'Joss' Crisp departed Salamaua for Wau with a load of general stores, beer and spirits. Caught in severe downdraft from an electrical storm in the Bitoi Valley, forced into tree tops. The forward fuselage and cabin broke away and fell 70 feet to the ground, the cargo spilling out of the shattered cabin. Crisp was not injured but was strapped into the remains of the cockpit in the tree tops. Crisp climbed down the trees to the ground to camp in torrential rain and began walking out next day. He was found by a searching ground party the following day.
