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Crash of a Douglas R4D-5 near Kokoda: 17 killed

Date & Time: Jul 23, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
39090
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Cairns – Momote
MSN:
13859
YOM:
1943
Location:
Kokoda
Central
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
En route, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located some 30 km west of Kokoda, in the center PNG. The wreckage was eventually found in 1970. All 17 occupants were killed. Other source reports the accident occurred in the region of Cairns.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DL on Mt Victoria: 6 killed

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-23500
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Dobodura – Port Moresby
MSN:
9362
YOM:
1943
Location:
Mt Victoria
Central
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Dobodura-North Borio Airfield at 1451LT but failed to arrive in Port Moresby-Wards Airport. SAR operations were conducted and the wreckage was spotted on January 12, 1944, on the slope of Mt Victoria located in the Owen Stanley Range. Unfortunately, it was impossible for a rescue team to reach the site due to the difficult terrain.
Crew:
S/Sgt Benton D. Campbell,
1st Lt Gale J. Chase,
S/Sgt Joseph C. Draper,
1st Lt Frank C. Gecan,
Cpl Joseph J. Ransdell,
Cpl Everett F. Rogers.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL near Myola Lake: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 12, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
41-18661
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Dobodura – Port Moresby
MSN:
6022
YOM:
1942
Location:
Kokoda
Central
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
En route from Dobodura to Port Moresby, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low ceiling. The aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located in the Owen Stanley range, near Myola Lake, in the region of Kokoda. All five occupants were killed.
Crew (374th TCG):
2nd Lt Lorenzo R. Gower, pilot,
1st Lt Robert W. Wood, copilot,
Cpl Dominic P. Verdi, flight engineer,
Cpl James G. Hickman, radio operator,
Passenger:
Col John H. Brewer.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder in Mt Kokoda: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Martin B-26 Marauder
Operator:
Registration:
40-1529
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Port Moresby - Port Moresby
MSN:
1529
YOM:
1940
Location:
Kokoda
Central
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Port Moresby-Schwimmer Aerodrome at 1015LT to attack the Buna Airfield. En route, weather conditions worsened and the aircraft disappeared above the Kokoda mountains shrouded in clouds. No trace of the aircraft christened 'Fury' nor the crew was found.
Crew (22nd BG):
1st Lt Franklin J. Anderson, pilot,
Sgt William Llewellyn Scanlan, copilot,
2nd Lt Sidney H. Willoughby, navigator,
1st Lt Edward H. Hansen, bombardier,
Sgt John H. McLean, flight engineer,
T/Sgt Thomas R. Powell, radio operator,
S/Sgt George W. Whitley Jr., air gunner.
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