This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
You can contribute by submitting additional or updated information.
| Date: | Monday 29 January 1945 |
| Time: | c. |
| Type: | Bristol Beaufort VII |
| Owner/operator: | 8 CU RAAF |
| Registration: | A9-106 |
| MSN: | - |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | mountains near Bugaiu, Morobe -
 Papua New Guinea
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Milne Bay Airstrip, Papua New Guinea |
| Madang Airfield, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea |
Beaufort A9-106 with 7 crew, went missing, when on a transit flight between Milne Bay Airstrip and Madang Airfield, Papua New Guinea, 500 miles to the North West.
No trace of the aircraft, 3 aircrew, Pilot, FLGOFF, N M Thewlis; Navigator, FLGOFF, J D Thompson; WAG, FSGT, M J Hewett or 4 passengers, SGT, J A Standing; SGT, F T Burgess; AC1, W B Luck and AC1, J H Albert Smith was found during the searches carried out in the following days.
In the 1990s the wreckage of Beaufort A9-106 and the remains of the 7 crew were found at 2,500 ft. in mountains near the village of Bugaiu, Lae District, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea.
In 1997 the remains of the 3 aircrew and 4 passengers were recovered and buried at the Lae War Cemetery, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea.
Some of the wreckage of the aircraft has been recovered from the crash site and is now on display in the The Royal Australian Air Force Museum, Point Cook, Melbourne, Australia.
Sources:
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=7127570
http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a9b.htm
https://pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/beaufort/A9-106.html
https://www.3squadron.org.au/subpages/MilneBayBattle.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madang_Airport
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Royal_Australian_Air_Force_Communication_Units
https://paperzz.com/doc/9399812/recovery-of-australian-service-personnel-missing
https://www.airforce.gov.au/displays/raaf-museum
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 26-Dec-2021 00:42 | Peter Clarke | Added |
| 07-Feb-2022 16:37 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Location, Operator, ] |
| 27-Jun-2023 09:33 | Ron Averes | Updated |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2025 Flight Safety Foundation