code

National Capital District

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder in Port Moresby: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
40-1534
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Port Moresby - Port Moresby
MSN:
1534
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to Port Moresby following a bombing mission in Rabaul. On approach to Port Moresby Airport, the aircraft was shot down by the pilots of three Japanese Mitsubishi Zero. The twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed few hundred yards short of runway and was written off. The tail gunner was killed, three other crew members were seriously injured and four others uninjured.
Probable cause:
Shot down by Japanese fighters.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina on Gemo Island: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A24-15
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Port Moresby - Port Moresby
MSN:
322
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Two minutes after takeoff from Port Moresby, while climbing, the floatplane impacted the slope of a mountain located on Gemo Island (Hanudamava Island). The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all eight crew members were killed.
Crew (11th Squadron):
F/O Lincoln James Sloan, pilot,
F/Lt Nelson Prior Reid, copilot,
Cpl Neville Lawrence Ernst, flight engineer,
Cpl Eric John O’Donnell, rigger,
LAC Charles James Matheson, flight engineer,
AC1 Keith Mighell Sidey, wireless operator,
AC1 Arthur Wallace Magee, wireless operator,
AC1 George Robert Peterson, armourer.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.