Date & Time:
May 12, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
41-18661
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Dobodura – Port Moresby
MSN:
6022
YOM:
1942
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
6
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Dobodura Airfield on a flight to Port Moresby, carrying six passengers, four 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 near Myola Lake, in the region of Kokoda. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operation were initiated and the wreckage was found on 30 may 1943. All 10 occupants were killed.
Crew (374th TCG):
2nd Lt Lorenzo R. Gower, pilot,
1st Lt Robert W. Wood, copilot,
Cpl Dominic P. Verdi, flight engineer,
Cpl James G. Hickman, radio operator.
Passenger:
Col John H. Brewer,
1st Lt Richard A. Keefer,
Mr. Roger W. Parkhurst,
Mr. Stewart Markell Brown,
Cpt Francis E. Williams accompanied by his personal cooker, a Papua citizen.
Crew (374th TCG):
2nd Lt Lorenzo R. Gower, pilot,
1st Lt Robert W. Wood, copilot,
Cpl Dominic P. Verdi, flight engineer,
Cpl James G. Hickman, radio operator.
Passenger:
Col John H. Brewer,
1st Lt Richard A. Keefer,
Mr. Roger W. Parkhurst,
Mr. Stewart Markell Brown,
Cpt Francis E. Williams accompanied by his personal cooker, a Papua citizen.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.
