Lae - Wewak - Lae

On June 8, 1958 at 12:00 AM, Lae - Wewak - Lae experienced a crash involving Lockheed L-414 Hudson, operated by Adastra Airways - Adastra Aerial Surveys, with the event recorded near Lae Morobe.

The flight was categorized as aerial photography and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

3 people were known to be on board, 3 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 1, passenger fatalities: 1, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. Carrying one pilot, a navigator and a photographer, the aircraft departed Lae on a photographic survey flight over the Wewak area, but conditions proved unfavourable for photography and it was decided to return to Lae. Lae tower was called five minutes before arrival and landing instructions were passed, in which it was advised that Runway 32 was to be used, the wind velocity being 300 degrees at 15 knots with gusts to 20 knots. Just before turning on to base leg the aircraft was cleared to do a practice asymmetric landing, but was warned to expect turbulence on the final approach. This was acknowledged by the aircraft. Witnesses agree that the aircraft was very low at the time of entering the final approach from a right-hand base leg with the left-hand propeller feathered. They also agreed that, following what sounded to be a marked increase in the power setting when 300 yards from the end of the strip, the aircraft rolled to the left and dived into the water in a partly inverted attitude. All three occupants perished. Crew: Allen Motteram, pilot, Patrick Murphy, navigator, Passenger: Gordon Murrell, photographer.

Aircraft reference details include registration VH-AGG, MSN 414-6486, year of manufacture 1942.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -6.6698°, 146.9968°.