Date & Time:
Apr 30, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-40352
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Port Moresby - Port Moresby
MSN:
1429
YOM:
1943
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
11
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
1
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Port Moresby-5 Mile Drome (Wards) at 0800LT on a reconnaissance and bombing mission over New Guinea. It went out of control and crashed in hilly terrain near Negifi. The airplane was totally destroyed and all 12 occupants were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Jindrich L. Chovanec, pilot,
2nd Lt Henry C. Hansen, copilot,
2nd Lt Eugene B. Brown Jr., navigator,
2nd Lt Edwin B. Smith, bombardier,
T/Sgt Clarence W. Boyer,
T/Sgt William C. Lowther,
S/Sgt Robert P. Nix,
S/Sgt Ernest E. Hansen,
S/Sgt Robert A. Ratliff,
Cpl Chester O. Coggin,
S/Sgt Henry C. Simons, air gunner.
Passenger:
F/Lt Leigh Grant Vial.
Crew:
1st Lt Jindrich L. Chovanec, pilot,
2nd Lt Henry C. Hansen, copilot,
2nd Lt Eugene B. Brown Jr., navigator,
2nd Lt Edwin B. Smith, bombardier,
T/Sgt Clarence W. Boyer,
T/Sgt William C. Lowther,
S/Sgt Robert P. Nix,
S/Sgt Ernest E. Hansen,
S/Sgt Robert A. Ratliff,
Cpl Chester O. Coggin,
S/Sgt Henry C. Simons, air gunner.
Passenger:
F/Lt Leigh Grant Vial.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the airplane impacted the ground in a near perpendicular attitude. Prior to the crash, the tail section broke off and landed roughly a mile away from the main wreckage.
Crew:
Crew:
