MOTTERAM, Allen George
Service Numbers: | VX119483, A33189 |
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Enlisted: | 12 January 1939 |
Last Rank: | Sergeant |
Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
Born: | Brunswick, Victoria, Australia, 1 November 1920 |
Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
Schooling: | Melbourne High School , Victoria, Australia |
Occupation: | Pilot |
Died: | Plane crash, Huon Gulf, Lae, Papua New Guinea, 8 June 1958, aged 37 years |
Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
12 Jan 1939: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Corporal, VX119483 | |
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19 Mar 1943: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Corporal, VX119483 | |
20 Mar 1943: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Sergeant, A33189 | |
7 Nov 1955: | Discharged Royal Australian Air Force, Sergeant, A33189 |
Adastra Aerial Surveys - VH-AGG
https://www.adastra.adastron.com/aircraft/hudson/vh-agg.htm
08JUN58 Crashed into the Huon Gulf at Lae. (Captain Allen Motteram).
The following is extracted from "Aviation Safety Digest":
"Carrying one pilot, a navigator and a photographer, the aircraft departed Lae on a photographic survey flight over the Wewak area, but conditions proved unfavourable for photography and it was decided to return to Lae. Lae tower was called five minutes before arrival and landing instructions were passed, in which it was advised that Runway 32 was to be used, the wind velocity being 300 degrees at 15 knots with gusts to 20 knots. Just before turning on to base leg the aircraft was cleared to do a practice asymmetric landing, but was warned to expect turbulence on the final approach. This was acknowledged by the aircraft. Witnesses agree that the aircraft was very low at the time of entering the final approach from a right-hand base leg with the left-hand propeller feathered. They also agreed that, following what sounded to be a marked increase in the power setting when 300 yards from the end of the strip, the aircraft rolled to the left and dived into the water in a partly inverted attitude. All three occupants perished."
Those on board at the time of the crash were:
Allen Motteram (Captain)
Patrick Murphy (Navigator)
Gordon Murrell (Camera Operator)
Submitted 28 December 2024 by Leigh Motteram