Date:	Sunday 15 October 1933
Time:	day
Type:	Genairco DH.60X Moth
Owner/operator:	Rabaul Airways Syndicate
Registration:	VH-UNY
MSN:	12
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	Rainau Plantation, Kokopo near Rabaul, East New Britain -   Papua New Guinea
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi
Departure airport:	Kabakaul, near Rabaul, Papua New Guinea
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Written off (destroyed) when it struck a coconut tree at the Rainau Plantation, Kokopo near Rabaul and crashed.

That day the pilot flew VH-UNY to Kabakaul, near Rabaul to conduct joyrides to raise funds for the syndicate. With two passengers in the front cockpit, he flew over close-by to the Rainau Plantation where the aircraft's floats struck a tall coconut tree. The aircraft then crashed to the ground. In this unfortunate incident, one of the three persons on board, Mrs. Graham Mirfield, a popular member of the Rabaul European community, lost her life, while her husband sustained serious injuries. The other person on board, pilot William J Duncan received minor injuries.

1. Waikato Times, 17 October 1933, Page 5: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WT19331017.2.51
2. The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.) Tuesday 17 October 1933 Page 8 SEAPLANE CRASHES: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11702190
3. Gisborne Times, 17 October 1933, Page 5: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GIST19331017.2.34
4. Hawera Star, 17 October 1933, Page 9: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HAWST19331017.2.83
5. https://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/genairco/genairco.html
6. https://www.ab-ix.co.uk/pdfs/dh60.pdf.
7. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus00.html
8. https://www.afleetingpeace.org/index.php/page-australian-register/vh-un-uz?highlight=WyJ2aC11bnkiXQ==
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kokopo

c/no 12 Genairco DH.60 X Moth [Cirrus Hermes] first registered as VH-UNY [C of R 375] 6.5.30 to General Aircraft Co Ltd, Mascot. Re-registered 24.1.31 to Adastra Airways Ltd, Mascot. Badly damaged in crash Mascot 28.4.33; rebuilt as seaplane. In July 1933 sold to Rabaul Airways Syndicate. Converted to seaplane (fitted with floats)

Rabaul Airways Syndicate was founded by William J. Duncan, Rapopo Plantation, New Britain who persuaded local businessmen to invest in a floatplane venture. He was previously a Flight Lieutenant with the RAF and was the first Civil Aviation Branch officer stationed in New Guinea region. The wooden floats were designed by L. J. Wackett and built and installed at Cockatoo Dockyard Aircraft Division, Sydney Harbour 11.8.33. Test flown Sydney Harbour by William J. Duncan for Rabaul Airways. The next day -12.8.33 -Williams J Duncan departed in the floatplane VH-UNY on delivery flight to New Britain. Re-registered 15.8.33 to Rabaul Airways Syndicate, Rabaul, New Guinea.

Reached Port Moresby 21.8.33 after a gruelling trip up the Australian coastline. Aircraft was taken ashore at the Napa-Napa slipway for repairs to the floats which had been damaged at Kerema. Later in August 1933 damaged in a forced landing on the Mambare River on the Samarai-Salamaua leg, due propeller vibration. Towed 120 miles to Lae by the vessel 'Wanderer'

Departed Lae after propeller repairs, now with Charles Gatenby in the front cockpit. He had resigned his ground mechanic job with Guinea Airways to join the new Rabaul Airways as their pilot-mechanic. The performance of the floatplane with the extra weight was so poor that Duncan emptied over the side four of his five 4-gallon drums of emergency petrol. On 11.9.33, approaching New Britain severe tropical weather caused another forced landing on water near Umbai Island. No damage and the fliers sheltered from the storm. On 26.9.33 finally reached Rabaul on delivery flight

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
01-Jun-2022 21:44	Ron Averes	Added
01-Jun-2022 22:21	Ron Averes	Updated [Damage]
19-Jun-2023 05:26	Ron Averes	Updated [[Damage]]
07-Feb-2024 20:43	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category]
07-Feb-2024 20:44	ASN	Updated [Narrative]