Date & Time:
May 12, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
41-18651
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Dobodura – Port Moresby
MSN:
6012
YOM:
1942
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Dobodura Airfield on a flight to Port Moresby, carrying five crew members and a load of fuel drums. En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low ceiling. While cruising over the Owen Stanley range, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located south of Kokoda. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operation were initiated and the wreckage was found on 15 may 1943 at an altitude of 2,042 metres. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. All five occupants were killed.
Crew (374th TCG):
1st Lt Walter B. Thompson, pilot,
F/O Robert P. Ranges, copilot,
T/Sgt Darrell D. Loy, flight engineer,
T/Sgt Willis Cheek, radio operator,
Sgt Elwood H. Wolfsberger, assistant radio operator.
Crew (374th TCG):
1st Lt Walter B. Thompson, pilot,
F/O Robert P. Ranges, copilot,
T/Sgt Darrell D. Loy, flight engineer,
T/Sgt Willis Cheek, radio operator,
Sgt Elwood H. Wolfsberger, assistant radio operator.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.
