Engine failure led to crash: AIC

A FINDING has revealed that an aircraft incident at Wobagen airstrip in West Sepik on Dec 1, 2020, occurred following an engine failure, according to the Accident Investigation Commission (AIC).
AIC acting chief commissioner Capt Aria Bouraga said the right engine of the Twin Otter DHC-6-300 aircraft was performing at a lower power than the left engine which caused the incident.
He said the crew missed crucial checks and actions where the engine fault was unnoticed until the Air Sanga aircraft ran off the airstrip into a drainage ditch adjacent to the airstrip and sustained significant damage to the cockpit forward bulkhead, nose landing gear (NLG) assembly and the left propeller and wing.
In a report, he said the difference in functioning of the engine caused the aircraft to turn right where it was unable to steer the aircraft back towards the centre-line due to a wet deteriorated clay and silt surface.
“The Accident Investigation Commission was made aware of the occurrence on the same day on Dec 1, 2022 at 2:37pm,” Bouraga said.
“The AIC initiated an investigation into the accident on the same day, in accordance with its mandate under the Civil Aviation Act 2000 (as Amended) and pursuant to Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation.”
The flight was a charter from Wobagen to Bak airstrip.