East New Britain | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane was engaged in an operation over Montague Harbour. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea few km offshore. A crew member was rescued while five others were killed.
Crew:
Cpl Joseph C. Dukes,
2nd Lt Arthur C. King,
2nd Lt Harold L. Massie,
S/Sgt Jack B. Swan,
Sgt Stanley A. Wolenski.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder near Rabaul: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Martin B-26 Marauder

Operator:

Registration:

40-1400

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

1400

YOM:

1940

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While flying near Rabaul, the twin engine airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed. Five crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
2nd Lt Frank A. Corts, †
2nd Lt William Crooks, †
Cpl Reese S. Davies, †
Cpt William Ames Garnett, †
2nd Lt Newell A. Wells. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina off Rabaul: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated PBY Catalina

Operator:

Registration:

A24-13

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

307

YOM:

1941

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The floatplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Rabaul, killing the entire crew.
Crew (11th Squadron):
Cpl Raymond James Adams,
S/L Ernest Victor Beaumont,
LAC Maxwell Dawson Raymond Berghouse,
F/O Michael Whittam Edwards,
AC1 Leonard Leslie Farrands,
LAC George Lancelot Formby,
LAC Cyril Grainger,
Sgt Raymond John Richardson.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IVA near the Kabu River: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 19, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed L-414 Hudson

Operator:

Registration:

A16-145

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Lae – Rabaul

MSN:

414-6074

YOM:

1941

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While flying at night on a trip from Lae to Rabaul, the twin engine airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located in the region of the Kabu River. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Crew (24th Squadron):
F/Lt Paul Pryde Paterson,
F/O James Sinclair McIntyre,
Sgt Oliver Frederick George Claxton,
LAC James Arthur Wilson.

Crash of a General Aircraft Genairco in Kabakaul: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1933

Type of aircraft:

General Aircraft Genairco

Operator:

Rabaul Airways

Registration:

VH-UNY

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Kabakaul - Kabakaul

MSN:

YOM:

1930

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The airplane was completing local joyrides in the area of Rabaul and Kanakaul. While flying over the Rainau Plantation, the pilot Duncan failed to realized his altitude was insufficient. The airplane struck a tall coconut tree and crashed. A passenger was killed while the second passenger was seriously injured. The pilot Duncan escaped with minor injuries.

Probable cause:

Poor judgement on part of the pilot who failed to see and avoid a tall coconut tree while completing a joyride at low height.