Port Vila - Port Vila

On August 8, 1944 at 12:00 PM, Port Vila - Port Vila experienced a crash involving Lockheed PV-1 Ventura, operated by Royal New Zealand Air Force - RNZAF, with the event recorded near Malekula Island All Vanuatu.

The flight was categorized as survey / patrol / reconnaissance and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.

4 people were known to be on board, 4 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

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

The listed crash cause is human factor. The crew left Port Vila Airport on a maritime patrol flight but failed to return. SAR operations were conducted but the wreckage and the four dead bodies were found six weeks later on the slope of a mountain on Malekula Island. Crew: F/Lt Francis Rolston, P/O Norman Underwood, F/O Alexander McInnes, LAC Peter Crees.

Aircraft reference details include registration NZ4570, MSN 6138.