Central

The twin engine aircraft landed hard, causing a wing to touch the ground and to be sheared off. Out of control, the airplane veered off runway and came to rest. All 15 occupants were injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Christened 'The Flying Dutchman', the aircraft was flying from Port Moresby to Pongani on behalf of the 33rd Troop Carrier Squadron's to deliver supplies and troops from the 32nd Infantry Division and the 126th Infantry Regiment. While cruising at an altitude of 9,000 feet, the aircraft encountered severe downdrafts, lost altitude and hit the slope of Mt Obree, in the center of PNG. Of the twenty-three aboard, seventeen survived the crash. Many had serious injuries and burns, and died afterwards waiting for help. Eventually, some of the survivors found help and only six survived. The wreckage was rediscovered during an air search mission for a missing Piaggio on March 8, 1961. The airplane has the dual registration VH-CCU and 41-18564.
Crew:
2nd Lt George W. Vandervort, pilot, †
Cpt Theodore W. Barron, †
T/Sgt Stephen J. Pitch, flight engineer, †
Sgt George B. Kershner, radio operator.
Passengers:
Sgt James M. Verstay, †
Pvt Vernon R. Moak, †
Pvt Charles W. Raddatz, †
Pvt Charles I. Stokes, †
Pvt Margarito Padilla, †
Pvt Carlos D. Failin, †
Pfc Gerald M. Grove, †
Pfc Frank A. Thomas, Jr.,
Pvt Duane R. Butler,
Sgt Edward K. Holleman,
Pvt Floyd L. August,
Pvt John W. Mobley,
Tec Lawrence E. Peterson, †
Pvt John J. Bellus, †
Pfc Malvern E. Patton, †
Pvt Theodore Romero, †
Pfc William L. Smith, †
Pvt Martin J. Brandon, †
Pvt Antonio T. Montes. †

The crew was returning to his base in Port Moresby following a reconnaissance mission to locate Japanese ships off Lae. On the return trip, the captain was forced to attempt an emergency landing due to fuel exhaustion. The twin engine aircraft crash landed near the Laloki River, in the region of Sogeri, and was damaged beyond repair. All eight occupants were unhurt and rescued.

The crew was on an operation to Lae Airfield when the airplane crashed in hilly terrain near Tapini. The wreckage was found about 120 km north of Port Moresby. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Charles Walter Lyndsay, pilot,
F/O Joseph Anderson Wormald, observer,
Sgt Douglas Wallace Desmond, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Charles Forbes Patterson, air gunner.

En route from Port Moresby, the airplane suffered an engine failure in flight. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed on Yule Island. Both crew members were uninjured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

The airplane departed Port Moresby on an operation to Rabaul. It failed to return to base and was declared missing. Following the crash of a USAAF C-47 on November 10 in the same area, the wreckage was found on the slope of Mt Obree (Ghost Mountain). The airplane was flying at an altitude of 9,000 feet when it impacted the mountain. All eight occupants were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Joe A. Carter,
1st Lt Daniel White Fagen,
2nd Lt Jim Sam Grant,
Sgt Edward L. Hargrove,
2nd Lt Ralph Howard,
2nd Lt Robert R. Meyer,
Sgt Paul A. Reimer,
Sgt Elton J. Rose.