What happened
On the evening of the incident, a Catalina seaplane departed Cairns at 1500LT with a mission to deliver supplies to coastwatchers at Aita in Bougainville and Bunbun in New Ireland. The aircraft arrived at the first drop zone at Aita at 2300LT under clear skies, although no moon was visible. Flying at an altitude of 10,000 feet, the crew located the target area easily.
The team began the delivery operation by making two left-hand circuits and releasing two parachutes. Just before the third drop could be executed, an impact was heard at 2320LT. The pilot applied full engine power in an attempt to recover, but the aircraft struck trees and crashed onto a ridge. Three members of the crew were killed in the accident, while six others were subsequently rescued.
Findings
The official investigation concluded that the accident resulted from a controlled flight into terrain. Despite clear weather conditions and the initial ease of locating the drop zone, the aircraft ultimately impacted the ground during the night operation.