Created Wednesday, Sep 15th 2021 06:26Z, last updated Tuesday, Nov 2nd 2021 19:29Z
A Rimbun Air de Havilland DHC-6-300, registration PK-OTW performing a freight flight from Nabire to Intan Jaya (Indonesia) with 3 crew, had attempted an approach to Intan Jaya's Bilorai Airport [WABV/UGU] in dense fog when the crew initiated a go around at 07:22L (22:22Z Sep 14th). A short time later loud noises of an impact and trees falling was heard at the airport without ever sighting the aircraft. A signal of the emergency locator transmitter activated at that time. Emergency services activated and attempted to find the aircraft, about 2 hours later a helicopter was able to locate the aircraft at an altitude of 2400 meters/7870 feet MSL (Position S3.7433 E136.9873) about 4500 meters/2.4nm from the runway in a "state of total destruction", there were no signs of survivors. Emergency services reached the crash site later the day and found all three crew perished.
The aircraft was carrying building materials to Intan Jaya.
Intan Jaya's Police reported the aircraft was located at an elevation of 2400 meters about 5000-6000 meters westsouthwest of the runway in a "state of total destruction", it was unlikely that any of occupants survived. The aircraft had departed Nabire at 06:40L for the about 40 minute flight to Intan Jaya. The aircraft went around due to dense fog, turned left and impacted terrain. The captain's mobile phone is still logged into the network, however, when the phone is being called, there is no response.
On Sep 17th 2021 the SAR team reported the black box of the aircraft has been recovered and is being handed over to Indonesia's KNKT. The bodies of the crew have been flown to Jakarta (Indonesia).
On Nov 2nd 2021 the KNKT released their preliminary report stating, that the crew was monitoring two other arrivals while they were descending towards Bilorai airport. The first aircraft was landing on runway 27, the second one on runway 09. The first officer (26, CPL, 974 hours total, 807 hours on type) was pilot flying, the captain (58, ATPL, 13,158 hours total, 8,051 hours on type) pilot monitoring. The captain decided to use runway 27 for landing. The aircraft was on final approach to runway 27 when a stall warning occurred, the captain queried, the first officer responded their airspeed was 65 KIAS. 4 seconds later the captain decided to initiate a go around. The captain transmitted that they would now attempt to land on runway 09. The aircraft continued outbound and initiated a left turn to align for runway 09 about 3.2nm out of the airport. The last recording on the FDR showed the aircraft turning through a heading of 110 degrees at 8544 feet MSL. The first officer advised the captain to fly left and they were descending through 8000 feet, the distance was about 2.5nm to the airport. The first officer advised the captain to turn left, subsequently reminded the captain to not to fly too close to the terrain, 14 seconds later the sounds of first impact were recording on the CVR, the CVR stopped 6 seconds after the first sounds. The aircraft was subsequently found at an elevation of 8100 feet about 2nm at a bearing of 260 degrees from Bilorai airport.
Prior to departure there was no record or report of any system malfunction of the aircraft.
Bilorai Airport (Position S3.7396 E137.0322, altitude 7200 feet MSL) features a runway of 600 meters length located at the edge of a cliff and is surrounded by mountains.
The wreckage seen from the air:
Flight trajectory (Graphics: KNKT):
Map (Graphics: Google Earth):
