Date & Time: Jan 6, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
Operator:
Registration:
NZ4623
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Piva – Emirau
MSN:
6338
YOM:
1944
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
7
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Few minutes after take off from Piva Aerodrome, en route to Emirau Island, the twin engine aircraft crashed into the sea some 15 miles offshore. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found, except two dinghies and a headset.
Crew (4th Squadron):
W/Cdr Norman Lecher,
F/Lt John Wright,
F/Lt Harald Thomson,
W/O William Boughey,
F/O Barclay Harrington,
Sgt Lewis Mawson,
Sgt Rex Mossman.