Region
Oceania
code

PNG

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura off Bougainville Island: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 14, 1944 at 1010 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed 9 Orion
Operator:
Registration:
NZ4530
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
5641
Location:
Bougainville Island
Autonomous Region of Bougainville
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a maritime patrol flight north of the Solomon Islands. En route, an engine failed, forcing the crew to fly back to his base. The aircraft eventually crashed into the sea some 150 miles northeast of the Bougainville Island. All five occupants were killed.
Crew (9th Squadron):
F/O Reginald Mather,
P/O Jack Battye,
W/O Ivan Lorenzen,
Sgt Henry Mosen,
F/S William Neave.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-65-DL on Daugo Island

Date & Time: Jun 10, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-100628
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ambulance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Lae - Alotau
MSN:
19091
YOM:
1943
Location:
Daugo Island
National Capital District
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The Dakota left Lae-Nadzab Airport on a medevac flight to Milne Bay carrying 18 patients and 3 Medical Attendants. Whilst over Dobodura, the crew received radio reports that Milne Bay Airfield was not in service, probably due to poor weather conditions. The crew wanted to divert to Port Moresby. En route, the left engine failed. It then appeared that both Jacksons and Wards fields could not be reached due to low ceiling and rain. The airplane then diverted to the emergency airfield on Fisherman's Island. A belly landing was carried out along the strip. There was no fire and all aboard survived.
Source:
http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19440610-1
Probable cause:
Technical investigation revealed that the left engine had just been replaced and this was the first-flight since the work was done. For the lack of a single cotter-pin and some safety wire in the throttle-linkage, this aircraft ended up crash-landing.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-45-DL near Alotau: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 7, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
A65-15
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Alotau - Port Moresby
MSN:
9997
YOM:
1943
Location:
Alotau
Milne Bay
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Eleven minutes after its take off from Alotau, in the Milne Bay Province, the aircraft hit a mountain and was destroyed. All four occupants were killed. The aircraft was also wearing the civil registration VH-CTO.
Crew (33th Squadron):
F/Lt R. Head,
Sgt D. H. Palmer,
F/O W. J. Wilson,
LAC W. J. O'Brien.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-65-CO Liberator in Kaiapit: 10 killed

Date & Time: May 7, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-40525
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Lae - Lae
MSN:
1602
Location:
Kaiapit
Morobe
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 crew was engaged in a bombing mission over Sarmi and departed Lae-Nadzab Airport late following unknown technical problems. After take off, the crew tried to join the formation without success. The bomber christened 'Toughy' crashed in unknown circumstances at an altitude of 2,000 feet in an isolated area located near Kaiapit, some 8 km northwest of Lae Airport. SAR operations were suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. Eventually, the wreckage was found in 1973.
Crew:
1st Lt John E. Terpning, pilot,
2nd Lt William R. Parkinson, copilot,
2nd Lt Kermit H. Kinne, bombardier,
2nd Lt George S. Silverman, navigator,
T/Sgt Sidney H. Branch, engineer,
S/Sgt James M. McKain, radio,
S/Sgt Earl R. Pearson, gunner,
S/Sgt Raymond "Ray" E. Thompson, engineer,
Sgt Richard F. Dixon, radio,
Sgt Michael E. Drucker, gunner.

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.
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