Port Moresby – Tapini
Flight / Schedule
Port Moresby – Tapini
Aircraft
De Havilland DH.83 Fox MothRegistration
VH-UZD
MSN
4040
Year of Manufacture
1933
Date
October 2, 1949 at 12:00 AM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Crash Location
Tapini Central
Region
Oceania • Papua New Guinea
Coordinates
-8.3574°, 146.9908°
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On October 2, 1949 at 12:00 AM, Port Moresby – Tapini experienced a crash involving De Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth, operated by Qantas Airways - Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services, with the event recorded near Tapini Central.
The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.
4 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 4 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.
Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 3, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. The single engine airplane was performing a flight from Port Moresby with three passengers, one pilot and two sacks of rice. Upon landing, an undercarriage failed. The aircraft veered off runway and eventually collided with an embankment. All four occupants were unhurt while the aircraft was not repaired and considered as damaged beyond repair. It was reported that the pilot was normally on DC-3's and that his experience on DH.83 Fox Moth was negligible. Apparently, the aircraft encountered katabatic winds on landing.
Aircraft reference details include registration VH-UZD, MSN 4040, year of manufacture 1933.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -8.3574°, 146.9908°.
Fatalities
Total
0
Crew
0
Passengers
0
Other
0
Crash Summary
The single engine airplane was performing a flight from Port Moresby with three passengers, one pilot and two sacks of rice. Upon landing, an undercarriage failed. The aircraft veered off runway and eventually collided with an embankment. All four occupants were unhurt while the aircraft was not repaired and considered as damaged beyond repair. It was reported that the pilot was normally on DC-3's and that his experience on DH.83 Fox Moth was negligible. Apparently, the aircraft encountered katabatic winds on landing.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
1
Passengers On Board
3
Estimated Survivors
4
Fatality Rate
0.0%
Known people on board: 4
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Port Moresby – Tapini
Flight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Region / Country
Oceania • Papua New Guinea
Aircraft Details
Similar Plane Crashes
Qantas Airways - Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services
Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8
Crashed on takeoff for unknown reasons. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, there were no casualties.
Qantas Airways - Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services
Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8
En route from Charleville to Longreach, the pilot encountered technical problems and elected to make an emergency landing in Blackall. While the pilot was uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Qantas Airways - Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services
De Havilland DH.9
The airplane departed Charleville at 0530LT with a pilot, Ian Douglas Davidson, and two passengers, William Robertson Donaldson from Rockland, and A. W. Bell from Belmont. The plane must have had trouble on the road as it only reached Tambo at 0930LT (two hours late), flying very low over the river, with the engine running. On final approach, the engine stopped, and a second later, the plane hit tree top and crashed. Mr. Bell was dead and Mr. Davidson died within half-an-hour, while Mr. Donaldson expired at 2 o'clock. The plane was destroyed, the engine and fuselage being smashed to pieces.
Qantas Airways - Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services
De Havilland DH.9
Crashed on takeoff from Camooweal Airport, Queensland. The pilot L. Brain, sole aboard, was slightly injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Guinea Airways
De Havilland DH.9
Shortly after takeoff from Wau Airport, while climbing, the aircraft stalled and crashed in the Bulolo River, some 8 miles north of the airport. While both occupants were injured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Airgold
Ryan B-1 Brougham
On approach to Lae, the single engine airplane stalled and crashed in the sea. Both occupants were rescued and the aircraft sank and was lost.