Farewell to a good mate

Darren Moore and Munchkin, his pet cuscus who lived with him  in Port Moresby

By MALUM NALU

On Monday this week, a day before he died in the plane crash on Misima, Darren Moore posted a message on my Facebook page regarding the summary execution of a teacher in Enga province in cold blood last Friday.

“It makes you want to carry a firearm to ensure your own safety,” he told me.

“Animals like this are really making a bad name for PNG in the world’s eyes.”

These were the last words Moore would ever share with me and words that I’ll always remember when I think about him.

The first time Moore came to PNG was to deliver an old C-172 for a bloke who gave him some bad information about weather and radio communications. Everyone saw the funny side of that - ultimately.

He then posted a message on his own page on Tuesday, saying: “Woohoo.

“Back driving the jet for a few hours today.

“Audit reports can get stuffed, I'm off flying.”

I read that message and presumed that Moore, a qualified pilot and flight operations inspector with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, was flying some jet.

I heard about the plane crash in Misima on Tuesday, however, had no idea that this good mate of mine was among those killed.

Villagers and curious onlookers, Australian air safety officials and CASA and Accident Investigation Commission investigators at the scene of the crash on Misima Island, Milne Bay, inspecting the remains of the Cessna  Citation on Wednesday.  – Picture by SINEWATA ISHMAEL

In fact, the first thing that came to mind was that Moore would be among those investigating the crash, and that he would be giving me some exclusive information about what really happened.

Just two weeks ago, I met Moore at the Holiday Inn, in which he told me about last month’s air crash in Kabwum, Morobe province, which he had just investigated and was now in the process of putting together his accident report.

Darren Moore in the cockpit of a plane

A couple of times, he had asked me, through my Facebook page, to go and have a “brew” with him at either the Aero Club or Airways Motel at which he would tell me some flying yarns.

I got the shock of my life when I read on the front page of yesterday’s The National that Moore, 44, from Leonora in Western Australia, was among those killed.

I kept on asking myself “why, why, why” when Moore was someone who could offer Papua New Guinea civil aviation so much.

And the saddest irony is that all of those air crashes Moore has been investigating will now not be completed, as he himself became a victim of an air crash.

Just two weeks ago, when we met at the Holiday Inn, Moore was telling me about the August 2008 Kokoda Trail Cessna 2006 crash that killed  pilot Christopher Kaines, the August 2009 Kokoda plane crash, last month’s Kabwum plane crash in which the young Australian pilot miraculously survived, and many others.

He was particularly concerned about the circumstances surrounding Kaines’ crash and wanted to see justice done for the dead pilot’s wives and children.

He was deeply concerned about the level of air safety investigations in the country, and freely admitted that the government must allocate more funding for this.

Moore also raised concerns about the level of air safety in the country, saying that we must never compromise our air safety by lowering standards, or allowing shady operators into the business.

He has been constantly calling me since by telephone and through Facebook about developments within PNG civil aviation.

Fellow aviation mates of Moore, known as Wiz, posted tributes on a popular pilot website to the "rough nut" who was working with PNG's CASA.

Moore has been described by a grieving mate as “a truly great bloke - consummate pilot, with lots of street smarts and common sense - also an extraordinary party animal”.

Moore’s Facebook page has been full of emotional comments since Wednesday when

friend Ryan Hooper confirmed: “Well I am sorry to say yes Darren was killed in the accident.

“He was a true mate and my heart is with you Sue.”

Dave Healey: “Fly high old mate, you've touched the lives of a great many people and will be sorely missed.

“Spread your wings wide and fly into the sun.”

Min Stokes: “This is so sad, condolences to Sue and the family.

“Daz you were one of a kind, true blue.

“Aviation won't be the same without you and your humour, we'll miss ya.”

Leon Garlett: “Thanks for the laughs in Leonora mate.

“You went where angels feared to go

“Condolences to Sue and family.”

Charl Du Plessis: “Hard to accept it.

“He was working on a great future for him and the family and I find it very sad that it had to end this way.”

Eric Galliers: “Darren, your last status says it all about your true passion mate.

“You will be missed by many and I still can’t get it into my mind that aviation took you.

“Very sad old buddy.”

Roz Roulston: “I was just thinking about you yesterday Darren.

“Was hoping you were safe in PNG and how many accidents happen over there.

“I had no idea it was you.

“All my love sympathy to your family.

“I can't believe it's you. R.I.P.”

Michael Anthony: “Darren, from one sky god to another... rest in peace mate.

“Watch over us and know we won't forget ya.”

Killed together with Moore were  were passenger Chris Hart, 61, from Sydney, and Trans Air charter co-owner and pilot Les Wright, 59, from Queensland.

The fourth victim, an employee of medivac company International SOS, was a New Zealander.

The survivor, another New Zealander who is a permanent resident of Australia, arrived in Port Moresby on Wednesday afternoon on a charter flight from Misima Island in PNG's Milne Bay province.

The unnamed 25-year-old co-pilot of the doomed Cessna Citation was immediately whisked on to another plane and flown out of PNG to an Australian hospital for medical treatment for "heavy bruising".

His amazing escape happened on Tuesday afternoon when the Trans Air plane overshot the Misima runway while landing in heavy rain and crashed into trees, bursting into flames.

Australian and New Zealand diplomatic staff flew to the island on Wednesday to supervise the retrieval of the bodies and to inspect the crash site.

They were joined by PNG air accident investigator Sid O'Toole and other officials

Civil aviation authorities in PNG said it was still too early to say what went wrong but guaranteed a full and complete investigation.

Trans Air, which runs a charter and medivac service in PNG, is linked to the now defunct Australian airline Transair, which went into liquidation after a 2005 crash at Lockhart River in north Queensland in which 15 people died.