Rabaul – Lakunai – Balalae Island

On April 18, 1943 at 08:00 AM, Rabaul – Lakunai – Balalae Island experienced a crash involving Mitsubishi G4M, operated by Japan Air Self-Defense Force - Koku Jieitai, with the event recorded near Buin Autonomous Region of Bougainville.

The flight was categorized as military and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.

12 people were known to be on board, 12 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 8, crew fatalities: 8, passengers on board: 4, passenger fatalities: 4, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is terrorism act, hijacking, sabotage. The aircraft left Rabaul-Vunakanau Airport in early morning bound for Balalae Island with an intermediate stop in Lakunai to pick up passengers. The twin engine aircraft was flying together with another Mitsubishi G4M and an escort of six Mitsubishi Zero. It left Lakunai Airfield at 0610LT and while approaching the south of the Bougainville Island, the formation was attacked by a squadron of 12 USAAF P-38. The G4M was shot down and crashed in a jungle located some 25 km north of Buin, killing all 12 occupants, among them Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto and several high rank Navy Officers who were performing an inspection of the Japanese installations in the area of the Solomon Islands. Crew (705th Kokutai): W/O Takeo Koyani, pilot, W/O Takeo Kotani, pilot, F/S Akiharu Ozaki, copilot, P/O Haruo Ueda, flight engineer, P/O Nobuo Hara, radio operator, P/O Minoru Tanaka, air gunner, F/S Mitsuo Ueno, air gunner, F/S Harumasa Kobayashi, air gunner. Passengers: Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, Admiral Takata, Cdr Kurio Toibana, Cdr Noburu Fukusaki.

Aircraft reference details include registration T1-323, MSN 2656.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -6.7485°, 155.6912°.