Investigation Summary
On the morning of March 3, 1942, the DC-3 'Pelikaan' was en route to Broome as part of the evacuation of the Dutch East Indies. Unknown to the pilot, Ivan Smirnov, the aircraft was carrying a package of diamonds valued at approximately £A 300,000. As the aircraft approached the Kimberley coast, it encountered three Japanese Zeros led by Lieutenant Zenjiro Miyano, which were returning from a raid on Broome. The Zeros attacked from a higher altitude, setting the port engine on fire and wounding Smirnov in the arms and hip. Smirnov executed a steep spiral dive and successfully landed on the beach. During the landing roll, a tire exploded, causing the aircraft to veer into the surf, which extinguished the engine fire. The Japanese pilots then strafed the survivors on the beach. The survivors remained at the site for six days before being rescued. The diamond package was lost during the chaos, leading to a significant criminal investigation and trial in Western Australia after a local mariner, Jack Palmer, turned in a portion of the gems.
Final Conclusions
The loss of the aircraft was directly caused by military action during World War II. The survival of the majority of the occupants was attributed to the exceptional airmanship of Captain Ivan Smirnov, who maintained control of the burning aircraft and executed a successful emergency landing under fire. The subsequent deaths were the result of strafing by the attacking Japanese fighters. The legal proceedings regarding the missing diamonds concluded in May 1943 with the acquittal of the primary suspects, and the full fate of the diamond shipment remains a subject of historical debate.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Port Engine
The number one engine was set on fire by cannon and machine gun fire from the Japanese Zeros during the initial attack.
Landing Gear
The undercarriage was successfully deployed for the beach landing, though the right tire exploded during the rollout due to gunfire or impact.
Interesting Facts
- 01The pilot, Ivan Smirnov, was a Russian flying ace from World War I.
- 02The aircraft was carrying diamonds valued at approximately £A 300,000 (1942 value) belonging to a Bandung firm.
- 03One of the four fatalities was a baby.
- 04The aircraft was a Douglas DC-3-194B, manufacturer serial number 1965, built in 1937.
- 05The wreckage was bombed by a Japanese flying boat the day after the crash while survivors were still present.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Evacuation Route Adjustments
Following the attack on Broome and the shootdown of PK-AFV, remaining evacuation flights from the Dutch East Indies were rerouted or suspended due to the increased presence of Japanese fighters along the Western Australian coast.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
The Missing Diamonds
Reference ↗A significant portion of the diamonds carried on the flight went missing after the crash. While Jack Palmer turned in some gems, he and two others were tried for theft in 1943 but acquitted, leaving the location of the remaining diamonds a mystery.