Details on Papua New Guinea Missing Pilot Komarek Nov. 1968

[NatAlee]

Hi,

My name is Natalie and I post this with hope that somebody in this forum can tell me more about an accident that happened in Papua New Guinea in November 1968. The Austrian Pilot involved in this accident was Richard Komarek - also listed in another thread: Merged: APNG Twin Otter Missing [Archive] - PPRuNe Forums (http://www.pprune.org/archive/index.php/t-384700.html) who was the uncle of my boyfriend and about whom we love to find out more, as we can't get him and his story out of our heads. So far we found out via an article in the Sydney Sunday Morning Herald dated 20th November 1968 that he went missing on a supply flight from Vanimo to Imonda patrol post with his Cessna 206 flying for Aerial tours. The flight must have taken place around the 11th November as the article says that they have been searching for him for 8 days.
Is there anyone that knew Richard and/or can tell us more about this accident?

Looking forward to receiving any hint or detail. Thank you in advance and greetings from Austria

[NatAlee]

Hi,

My name is Natalie and I'm writing this email with hope that anyone in this forum can tell us more about an Austria pilot that seem to have gone missing in November 1968 and that was mentioned in another thread within this forum
http://www.pprune.org/archive/index.php/t-384700.html

His name was Richard Komarek. Richard was the uncle of my boyfriend and we love to find out more about him, the person we never had a chance to meet, as we can't get him and his story out of our minds. Here is what we found out so far via an article in the Sydney Morning Herald dated 20th November 1968. Richard seem to have gone missing on a supply flight from Vanimo to Imonda patrol post with his Cessna 206, working for Aerial Tours. From what the article says, the plane must have gone missing on the 11th of November, as there was a search going on for approx. 8 days.

We hope that you can tell us more about him and/or how we went missing!
Looking forward to receiving any details or hints.
Thank you very much in advance.
All the best from Austria

Natalie

[edsbar]

VH-CMZ (http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austcl/VH-CMZ.html)

Here is the second production model 206* at Bankstown on 21 December 1963. It was the first model 206 in Australia, having arrived in October 1963. Photo by Greg Banfield who advises that the machine was finished in an attractive blue and white colour scheme. For some reason it appears not to have become VH-CMZ for Ansett-MAL until 21 July 1964. Presumably Rex used it as a demonstrator. Ansett-MAL used it in Papua/New Guinea and, as such, it was the first 206 in that Territory also. On 24 April 1967 it was re-registered VH-ATG when Ansett-MAL dropped their light aircraft operations and sold it to Aerial Tours Pty Ltd of Port Moresby. On 11 November 1968, it went missing on a flight from Vanimo to Imonda, and an extensive search by 15 aircraft over 12 days failed to locate it. The wreck and the remains of the pilot were finally found in January 1971.

[sundaun]

I was a probationary pilot acting as an observer on the said search. Did not know the accident pilot. We all flew to the Southern ports via the Kilifas Gap as comparatively low levels. (<7000') and I believe the wreckage was found on Western slopes of the Kilifas Gap. The weather could obstruct the gap in the afternoons. Other old timers (AG, PC, BM) are still around and may chime in and assist you.

[NatAlee]

Thank you very much for your answers and for sharing your memories