Incident Overview
Date: Thursday 29 July 2004
Aircraft Type: de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300
Owner/operator: Airlines PNG
Registration Number: P2-MBA
Location: near Ononge –
ÿ Papua New Guinea
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 3
Component Affected: Runway 16/34Runway 16/34
Category: Accident
A Twin Otter aircraft, en route to Ononge from Port Moresby, experienced a sudden and catastrophic landing due to a combination of factors. The aircraft approached Ononge at an altitude of 1792 meters, but the single runway 16/34 was situated on a 7% slope, limiting approach options to the 34 direction. Due to cloud cover, the approach was abandoned. The pilot then diverted to Yongai airport, 27 km to the east, in a mountainous valley at 2286 meters. A collision with trees resulted in a crash, and only the loadmaster survived.A Twin Otter aircraft, en route to Ononge from Port Moresby, experienced a sudden and catastrophic landing due to a combination of factors. The aircraft approached Ononge at an altitude of 1792 meters, but the single runway 16/34 was situated on a 7% slope, limiting approach options to the 34 direction. Due to cloud cover, the approach was abandoned. The pilot then diverted to Yongai airport, 27 km to the east, in a mountainous valley at 2286 meters. A collision with trees resulted in a crash, and only the loadmaster survived.
Description
The Twin Otter departed Port Moresby on its weekly cargo flight to Ononge, carrying store goods. Ononge airstrip is located at an elevation of 1792 meters in the rugged Goilala region. It has a single 500-metre runway 16/34 of which, due to the 7% slope, only the runway 34 direction can be used for approach. The airplane reportedly approached Ononge shortly after 10:00. Because of a cloud cover the approach had to be abandoned. The pilot probably decided to head for Yongai airport, located 27 km to the East of Ononge. Then in a mountain valley at an elevation of 2,286 meters above sea level the aircraft collided with trees and crashed. The wreckage was found a day later and only the loadmaster had survived the crash.
Primary Cause
Slope on the runway 16/34Slope on the runway 16/34Share on:
