P2-GKN
Bit late coming in on the topic but mention of GKN and the P2-ISF incident next day brought back some sad memories of what was a bad few days for Talair.
GKN with pilot Ray Hoffman plus 4 pax went missing enroute from Tari to Mendi on 19July 1980. That afternoon a search commenced but with Mendi socked in the search aircraft including myself in P2-ISF diverted to Hagen to overnight and try again next day at first light.At Hagen we were given C206 SEJ to resume the search while ISF was to ferry back to Mendi with Bob Davie as pilot plus several pax to resume normal ops from there. We both taxied out in the dark for a first light takeoff but there had been a heavy dew that night and the wet windscreens plus the rising sun made vis pretty poor. We departed first and a short time later heard a distressed radio call to Hagen Tower from Bob saying that he had had an accident and needed assistance. As mentioned this was due to passenger,Kerry Foley ( who was well known to everyone at Talair )walking into a revolving propeller. The circumstances were basically that Bob had come to a stop due to the poor vis and was considering taxying back in to dry his windsceens.Kerry on hearing this apparently announced that she had a towel or cloth and they could use that.Before anyone could react she opened one of the Islanders side doors and rushed forward straight through the revolving propeller.She was killed instantly. Kerry grew up in PNG,her Dad was an ex-Kiap and brother Chris was Talair base manager at Mendi so she was very used to being around aircraft. No-one will ever no why she did what she did but it's happened before and has happened since.
GKN was found by a chopper later that day on the south side of the Tari Gap and had some repercussions for Talair as one of the passengers killed was the Premier of the Southern Highlands,Andrew Andaija. Word went out that there was to be payback against Talair at Mendi but in the end that didn't happen and a rival clan was blamed for putting 'puri puri' on the crashed aircraft.
Helly Tschuchnigg was dispatched from Talair Goroka to offer compensation to the family including Australian Private schooling for their son.Not sure if that actually happened or not.
Also ,as mentioned Bob Davie after leaving PNG for some time returned to later die in the crash of Islander ISH near Omkolai on 13 Jan.1984. A very sad period for all concerned.