Lae – Goroka

On July 11, 1950 at 12:00 AM, Lae – Goroka experienced a crash involving Noorduyn Norseman, operated by Gibbes Sepik Airways, with the event recorded near Goroka Eastern Highlands.

The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a plain, valley crash site.

1 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 1 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: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The day prior to the accident, while on a cargo flight from Lae to Goroka, the pilot Frank J. Goosens was forced to attempt an emergency landing in a field located five miles southeast of Goroka due to poor visibility. After he spent the night in the aircraft, he decided to leave the area bound for Goroka when, during the takeoff roll, the left wing hit an earth mound. The aircraft crashed, injuring the pilot.

Aircraft reference details include registration VH-BNL, MSN 270, year of manufacture 1943.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -6.0730°, 145.3933°.