Zone
Morobe

Crash of a North American B-25D-10 Mitchell in Saidor: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1944
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Registration:
41-30337
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Lae - Lae
MSN:
87-8502
Location:
Saidor
Madang
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While cruising at low height in poor weather conditions in the region of Saidor, the aircraft collided with a USAAF Lockheed F-5A Lightning registered 42-67350 and crashed. Four crew were killed while two others were injured. The fate of the second aircraft and its crew remains unknown.

Crash of a North American B-25D-5 Mitchell off Kar Kar Island

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1944
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Registration:
41-30020
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Lae - Lae
MSN:
87-8185
Location:
Kar Kar Island
Madang
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, an engine failed, forcing the crew to ditch the aircraft into the Bismarck sea, east of the Kar Kar Island. While the aircraft was lost, all six occupants were rescued.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas A-20G-30-DO Havoc off PNG: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
43-9488
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Lae - Lae
Location:
Papua New Guinea
All Papua New Guinea
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Ditched into the sea off PNG. A crew member was rescued while both other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-170-CO Liberator in PNG: 10 killed

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-72946
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Lae - Lae
MSN:
2516
Location:
Papua New Guinea
All Papua New Guinea
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The aircraft disappeared in PNG without trace. All ten occupants were considered as deceased. The wreckage was eventually spotted in 2002.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24J-80-CO Liberator PNG: 11 killed

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-100225
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Lae - Lae
MSN:
3374
Location:
Papua New Guinea
All Papua New Guinea
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The aircraft disappeared in PNG without trace. All eleven occupants were considered as deceased. The wreckage was eventually spotted in 2002.

Crash of a Douglas A-20G-30-DO Havoc in Wabusarik

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
43-9628
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Lae - Lae
Location:
Wabusarik
Madang
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in the region of Wabusarik, Madang Province. While all three occupants were rescued, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24J-120-CO Liberator in Gusap: 11 killed

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-109975
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Lae - Lae
MSN:
3774
Location:
Gusap
Morobe
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Gusap, causing the death of all 11 crew members.

Crash of a Douglas A-20G-25-DO Havoc in PNG: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
43-9098
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Lae - Lae
Location:
Papua New Guinea
All Papua New Guinea
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in PNG. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-35-DL off Lae

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-23851
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
9713
YOM:
1943
Location:
Lae
Morobe
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft crashed into the Huon Gulf off Lae following a dual engine failure. All four crew members were rescued while the aircraft sank 1,6 km offshore.
Probable cause:
Dual engine failure.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina off Gasmata: 9 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
A24-22
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Lae - Lae
MSN:
285
YOM:
1941
Location:
Gasmata
West New Britain
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a maritime patrol flight when he sent a brief mayday message and informed ground that a fire broke out in the cabin. Shortly later, the seaplane crashed into the Solomon Sea, some 50 km south of Gasmata. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.
Crew (11th Squadron):
W/Cdr Francis Blomfield Chapman, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Noblett Stephens, copilot,
Sgt John Edward Dewhurst, flight engineer,
Lac Robert George Docking, flight engineer,
F/O John Trevor David Todd, navigator,
F/O Stanley Alfred Deacon, radio operator,
Lac Colin Neville Anderson, armourer,
F/O Malcolm Bradshaw, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Sgt Lloyd George Stanley, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
In-flight fire of unknown origin.
Subscribe to Lae