What happened
During a scheduled cargo operation between Popondetta and Port Moresby, a Piaggio twin-engine aircraft encountered adverse meteorological conditions while in transit. While flying at an altitude of approximately 9,400 feet, the aircraft collided with trees on Mt Owen Stanley.
Following the impact, search and rescue operations were initiated to locate the missing plane and its pilot. These efforts continued for several days before being officially terminated when no evidence of the wreckage or the crew could be located. The site of the accident remained undiscovered until October 1970, when the debris was found by a team searching for a different missing aircraft, a Piper Aztec.
Findings
Investigations into the disappearance concluded that the pilot did not adhere to the prescribed flight path intended for the route to Port Moresby.