Accident
On an unspecified date, a three-engine aircraft departed Bulolo at 0835 local time bound for Lae. Approximately 31 minutes later, while approaching Lae Airport, the pilot reported the aircraft's position over the mouth of the Markham River. Visibility was two miles due to rain. Shortly after, the pilot lost control of the aircraft, which crashed into the Huon Gulf about four miles south of Lae Airport.
Debris from the wreckage was located around noon. All seven occupants, including the pilot, Captain J. W. Spiers, were killed.
Investigation
The initial investigation by the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) and Qantas Empire Airways (QEA) concluded that pilot error was the probable cause, specifically that the pilot continued flight under visual flight rules (VFR) into reduced visibility in low cloud and rain. The recovered wreckage included the centre propeller, which was missing one blade. This was initially attributed to impact with the sea.
However, following the ditching of another aircraft, VH-DHA, on 16 April 1952, renewed investigations revealed that the missing centre propeller blade had suffered a structural failure and detached in flight. This caused the engine to pull out of its mounting, leading to the pilot losing control, and the aircraft crashed into the sea.