Madang - Mendi

On April 11, 1972 at 12:00 AM, Madang - Mendi experienced a crash involving Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3), operated by Trans Australia Airlines - TAA, with the event recorded near Madang Madang.

The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

3 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 3 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

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

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The crew was completing a cargo flight from Madang to Mendi. While approaching Mendi Airstrip, a failure of the hydraulic system forced the crew to return to Madang for a safe landing. After touchdown, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and came to rest in a lake. All three occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The hydraulic failure caused the braking system to be inoperable.

Aircraft reference details include registration VH-PNB, MSN 15344/26789, year of manufacture 1944.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -5.2120°, 145.8054°.