Air Niugini plane landed short of runway: Report

Main Stories

AN Air Niugini plane landed on the sea about 460 metres short of the runway at Chuuk international airport, turned clockwise for about 210 degrees and drifted before sinking, according to a report.
The preliminary report by the Federated States of Micronesia Transport, Communications and Infrastructure Department into the crash landing of the aircraft on Sept 27 stated that the aircraft was on a scheduled passenger flight from Pohnpei to Chuuk.
The incident in which one passenger died was at 9.45 am local time.
“There were 12 crew members and 35 passengers on board. Six passengers were seriously injured, and one passenger was fatally injured. The 12 crew members (including a local pilot and overseas co-pilot) and 34 passengers exited the aircraft and were promptly rescued and brought to shore by US Navy divers (who were the first on scene), Chuuk State Government boats, Red Cross, Transco, and more than 20 privately-owned boats.
“Local divers located the fatally injured passenger in the aircraft three days after the accident. A post mortem was conducted on the deceased passenger by the FSM State pathologist. At the request of the FSM investigator-in-charge, a confirmation post mortem was conducted by the PNG State pathologist in Chuuk.”
The pathologists’ report will be examined by the investigation.
The report said the B737 aircraft was “substantially damaged by impact forces. There was no evidence of pre- or post-impact fire. The initial examination of video taken by the divers showed that the main landing gear separated from the aircraft during the water impact.
“The rear fuselage behind the wing had fractured during the impact sequence. The aircraft sank in 90 feet of water to the Chuuk Lagoon seabed.”
The report stated that the Chuuk radio operator had provided the aircraft with a weather information as it approached Chuuk. All communications between air traffic services and the aircraft were normal prior to the accident. The airline has upgraded its safety assessment on the international airports of Chuuk and Pohnpei in the Federal States of Micronesia to “very high risk” stage, according to a report.