There's a few aviation types on here, and so I'll post some of the adventures that I had in PNG. This is the first and probably the least adventuress. However its the first. The other thing is I had a movie camera, bad news, the pictures here are from a cheap spare I had.
The pilot took off from the Imonda airstrip, near Irian Jira. He experienced engine failure and had to make a forced landing. The area is covered in dense jungle, but lucky for him he saw a bend in the river he was flying over. By landing across the bend he was able to put the aircraft down, no injuries just frightened passengers. Pictures 5-3-1.
We had to get the plane back to the strip. To do this we dismantled the plane, hired 100 locals, paying them 10c each to carry the parts back.
The next problem we had was to get the fuselage back to the strip. The river bed was covered in large rocks and fallen trees. to get over these we mounted Twin Otter wheels on the Cessna, tied on ropes and pulled. We probably hauled it 10km up this river then headed inland, we had to widen bridges and cut paths, but we made it. Pictures 7 & 8.
The damage to the airframe was confined to the engine bay and nose gear. I repaired the airframe and my other workmate replaced the engine. We de-riveted, bashed the panels back to their original shape on rocks, pop riveted them back on. We had a couple of the local boys from Goroka to help us, they were very good. Pictures 4 & 2.
We lived in an army tent borrowed from the PNG army, our communication was via SSB transceiver. The Upright post by the tent is one of the aerial masts. Picture 8.
As you can see (I'm the skinny one) we were very particular about PPE and alcohol was never consumed on the job! Picture 2.
After about 10 days the plane was flown back to base. This would be about 1977. We both got Malaria from this. There was fighting going on at the time and walking wounded were coming back every day. Woke up one morning to find the PNG army camped around us.
I have better salvages than this one, but posting this to gauge the response, if you want to see the other two say so.
Ask questions as I have kept it short, I expect this not to post. Pictures did not load in the order I had them, bummer.
-- Edited by iana on Tuesday 16th of June 2015 10:20:00 PM
-- Edited by iana on Tuesday 16th of June 2015 10:20:55 PM
-- Edited by iana on Tuesday 16th of June 2015 10:23:33 PM
-- Edited by iana on Tuesday 16th of June 2015 10:24:49 PM
Aussie-Paul, you must be the same age as me, I had nothing to do with aircraft until I left school. I went to my technical teacher and told him I needed an apprenticeship which would pay better so I could look after myself in a few years, then suddenly I was in at Hawker-Siddley in Wellington NZ. Unfortunately after a couple of years they decided to close their doors, I then got moved to another company halfway up the North Island at Gisborne, a top-dressing company flying Beavers, Lockheed Lodestars (like a Ventura bomber) and DC3s. I used to get in the co-pilots seat when ever I could.
The company I was working for in PNG was Talair formally Territory Airlines. Based in Goroka, was the world biggest little airline.
Really enjoyed your story and pics. Aussie-Paul, and I too look forward to further instalments. Years ago knew a couple of pilots that flew DACs (DC3's) in PNG. Mad buggers. Memory's not so good now, can't remember what they call themselves.
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Cheers Peter and Sue
"If I agree with you we'll both be wrong"
No, I'm not busy, I did it right the first time.
Self-powered wheelie walker, soon a power chair (ex. Nomad)
Great story iana, pic's too. I did a few trips with a pilot mate who flew Cessna aircraft as a Mission Pilot out of Wewak, he did lots of hairy things and some of the strips he landed on were unbelievable. I hated his power approaches skimming over tree tops, one downdraft and we would have been history.
I also flew in a DAC as an observer from Wewak, looking for a well known identity in a yatch (never found, they reckon a cannibal tribe in the area must have taken a liking to him for dinner).
For treks, the currency we used was sheets of newspapers, the kanaka's used it to roll their tobacco in. This was in the late 50's early 60's.
Well you asked for it, the next crash salvages are a bit more interesting, and I will have to do them in instalments. I am unsure how much the forum topics can take, I am a member of a fishing forum and that spits the dummy with too much info.
I can't remember exactly, but one of the aircraft I was in flying to one of these spots had engine failure on take off, just made it back between the trees, a small incident but s---t happens.
