Death of pilots major loss for airline

NORTH Coast Aviation (NCA) is still trying to come to terms with the death of two of its pilots in a just a month.
Australian pilot David Tong was killed in a crash on Dec 23 and chief pilot Thomas Keindip died on Nov 26 after a short illness.
Flight operations manager Geoff Thiele yesterday told The National that the company was devastated by the loss of its two pilots who had served with distinction.
The company has come out publicly for the first time since the tragic plane crash just before Christmas near Dinangat in Kabwum.
The 34-year-old Tong was returning to Nadzab from Derim when his plane crashed resulting in his death.
The cause of the crash is still not known and is now the subject of an air crash investigation.
Tong survived the crash but his body was retrieved three days later.
Keindip, from Sikam village in Komba local level government in Kabwum, knew the rugged terrain like the back of his hand.
Thiele said the company had lost two brilliant pilots.
He said the crash and the deaths had already had a big impact on the company’s operations.
“We were just recovering from Thomas’ burial when this (plane crash) happened,” Thiele said.
“It was something we were not expecting.
“Tong was a brilliant pilot.
“He was loved by everyone.”
Thiele said with NCA’s three aircraft, the company used to have 27 seats available for fights daily, but that had reduced to 18 with the loss of one aircraft.
He said the rural people needed their service so they would continue to operate.
Thiele said the company hoped to employ one more pilot this year.