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| Date: | Monday 26 April 1943 |
| Time: | 23:20 |
| Type: |  Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina |
| Owner/operator: | Royal Australian Air Force - RAAF |
| Registration: | A24-43 |
| MSN: | 1096 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 9 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Location: | near Aita -
 Papua New Guinea
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Cairns Airport, QLD (CNS/YBCS) |
| Cairns Airport, QLD (CNS/YBCS) |
The RAAF Catalina, operated by 11 Sqn took off from Cairns at 15:00 to drop supplies to coastwatchers at two locations: Aita, Bougainville and Bunbun, New Ireland. The flying boar arrived at Aita at 23:00, and two supplied were dropped. Prior to the third drop, an impact was heard and engine revved to full power. The Catalina impacted trees and crashed on a ridge.
RAAF crew members killed were:
403318 FL William James CLARK; 408268 FO John Nigel Elmhirst POTTS; 32917 Sgt Dudley James WARD.
Sources:
Australian Military Aircraft Serials and Aircraft History web site
Pacific Wrecks - PBY Catalina Serial Number A24-43 Tail FJ-B
Location
Revision history:
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