Lae - Port Moresby

On August 28, 1972 at 02:30 PM, Lae - Port Moresby experienced a crash involving De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou, operated by Royal Australian Air Force - RAAF, with the event recorded near Kudjeru Gap Morobe.

The flight was categorized as military and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.

29 people were known to be on board, 25 fatalities were recorded, 4 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 86.2%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 3, passengers on board: 26, passenger fatalities: 22, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The aircraft was completing a flight from Lae to Port Moresby, carrying three crew members and 26 cadets of the PNG Army. After passing over Wau in good weather conditions, the pilot decided to enter the Kudjeru Gap Valley when the weather conditions worsened rapidly with clouds up to 10,500 feet. At an altitude of 5,000 feet while trying to gain height, the right wing struck trees and the aircraft crashed on the slope of a mountain, about 50 meters below the summit. The wreckage was found three days later. Five injured passengers were evacuated but one of them died from his injuries.

Aircraft reference details include registration A4-233, MSN 233, year of manufacture 1965.