Cessna C206, VH-EFO, owned and operated by the Lutheran Mission Aviation Service, crashed at LAE airport, killing the pilot and two passengers.
The pilot, Gavin Hoskin, aged 29, held a commercial licence but had only 581 hours flying experience. He was bound for Menyamya with two passengers, Mrs. Cristel Horndasch and her son Wilfred, aged seven.
The takeoff appeared normal but shortly after climbing over the end of the runway the Cessna engine faltered, and began to fail. Hoskins was at a height of approx 152 metres and he requested permission to land.
He put the Cessna into a banked turn, the engine coughing and missing. The angle of bank increased sharply, the nose dropped. The Cessna crashed into the ground 730 metres from a shopping centre and primary school.
The investigation discovered the engine fuel pump settings were incorrectly set, although this could not be concluded as the cause of the accident.
I was working in Lae at the time and was asked by DCA to assist them with their investigation. The aircraft crashed close to a house and a wheel came off, rocketed through a corridor in the house and struck a resident in the head. He died shortly after. I believe that "Doc" Whitburn and Herbie Ray carried out the investigation.