295:; the time required to set the trim and feather the propeller suggests that the engine failed earlier in the flight. Investigators concluded the left engine was functioning when the crash occurred, and that the changing engine sound may have resulted from the changing direction of the left engine exhaust as the aircraft rolled over, rather than to the right engine failing at that time. No malfunction was found that conclusively explained why the right engine failed, but the right fuel tank was found empty, and the position of the engine controls suggested that Picard attempted to cross-feed the right engine from the left fuel tank; however, the controls were distorted by impact forces, making the intended setting hard to discern. All
26:
319:(ELT) was past its mandatory replacement date and did not activate as designed when the aircraft crashed. The failed ELT did not hamper rescue efforts, as eyewitnesses easily found the crash site, but the nonfunctional and expired ELT together with the incorrect and incomplete computation sheet led investigators to conclude that the aircraft was not technically
194:. The plane pitched up right before the crash, then dropped its right wing and fell almost vertically to the ground. Eleven passengers (including three children) and the 31-year-old Australian pilot, Benjamin Picard, were killed. Nine people died on impact, with other three declared dead on arrival at Kiunga Hospital.
247:
As the flight approached the runway, it suddenly pitched up in a nearly vertical attitude, then rolled to the right. It fell rapidly, struck trees and slammed onto the ground at a nearly 90° angle. Due to the force of the impact, the nose and cockpit were crushed and the tail snapped. Nine people
314:
Investigators found no direct evidence that the pilot had calculated the aircraft CG for the flight, nor for any other recent flights, although he had routinely signed paperwork attesting that he had done so. Additionally, the Weight and
Balance Computation Sheet used for calculating the CG was
306:(CG) was the primary cause of the crash. It is normal for an aircraft to pitch up when the flaps are extended during the landing approach; however, the aft CG made the aircraft pitch up more severely than usual, and rendered it abnormally difficult for the pilot to compensate using the
310:
trim tab. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the flaps were fully extended and that the pilot had applied full nose down elevator trim to no avail. The investigation concluded that safe stall recovery was impossible due to the aircraft's low altitude when the stall occurred.
315:
incorrect, as it did not account for major repairs performed to the aircraft after another crash several years prior. The repairs reduced the permissible load in the baggage compartment but the computation sheet was not revised accordingly. The investigation also noted that the
283:
Investigators found that the right engine had failed but were unable to prove exactly when the failure occurred. Damage to the engine suggested that it was still hot and spooling down (turning slowly) on impact, suggesting a very recent shutdown. However, the pilot had set the
251:
Witnesses reported the crash to the airport and subsequently located the crash site. Three people were extricated alive and were transported to Kiunga
Hospital, but were pronounced dead on arrival. All 12 passengers and crews on board were killed.
267:
was also invited to join the investigation. Initial examination of the wreckage was hampered by bad weather. The wreckage was left unattended for five days due to inundation around the area. It was taken to Kiunga on the sixth day.
279:
call indicating a mechanical failure; however, some of his transmissions were garbled by interference and "hash". Witnesses reported a change in engine sound as the aircraft rolled over and dove to the ground.
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The investigation determined that the right engine had failed for unknown reasons at an unverified time, but most likely earlier in the flight. The aircraft was loaded significantly aft of the
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as P2–SBC. The flight was carrying 11 passengers, including three children, and an
Australian pilot, identified as Benjamin Andre Picard.
1018:
704:
512:
924:
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804:
338:– another fatal crash of a small charter aircraft attributed to an unrecoverable stall caused by an excessively aft centre of gravity
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The investigation also recommended that the ATS radio system in the accident vicinity be upgraded to eliminate static interference.
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in the far nose-left position to compensate for decreased thrust on the right side, and the propeller had automatically
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passenger flight from Tekin, West Sepik
Province (Sandaun) to Kiunga, Western Province. The flight was operated under
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to land at Kiunga. The weather in Kiunga, at the time, was good. Picard then configured the aircraft for landing.
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operated by
Sunbird Aviation crashed about 1,200 m (0.65 nmi; 0.75 mi) short of runway 7 at
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and trim tabs were found at the crash site, still connected to their respective cockpit controls.
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Accident description for
Britten-Norman BN-2T Turbine Islander P2-SBC near Kiunga Airport
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sent two investigators to the crash site. A representative from the aircraft's manufacturer
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492:(Report). Papua New Guinea Accident Investigation Commission. 13 February 2017. AIC 16-1002
8:
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The flight took off from Kiunga at 13:56 and later reached
Oksapmin. Picard then radioed
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by
Sunbird Aviation, a small non-scheduled aviation company based in Goroka, with a
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114:
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at the time and that
Sunbird had violated regulations in operating the flight.
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205:, the aft CG caused an uncontrollable pitch up, resulting in the aircraft
406:"Australian pilot among 12 people killed in Papua New Guinea plane crash"
218:
320:
588:
288:
276:
285:
1024:
Accidents and incidents involving the
Britten-Norman Islander
513:"Australian among 12 killed in Papua New Guinea plane crash"
240:(ATS) to report that the flight was entering the left-hand
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Airliner accidents and incidents caused by engine failure
1009:
Aviation accidents and incidents in Papua New Guinea
30:
A Turbine Islander similar to the accident aircraft
995:
302:Investigators concluded that an excessively aft
271:The pilot of the flight made several calls to
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201:(CG) limit. Upon extension of the aircraft's
925:Pakistan International Airlines Flight 661
581:
567:
536:
458:"Crash killed all 12: Yalo – The National"
275:(ATS) although he was not heard to make a
24:
1004:Aviation accidents and incidents in 2016
539:"Three Survived Initial Impact: PNG AIC"
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217:The flight was a non-scheduled domestic
965:Russian Defence Ministry Tupolev Tu-154
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479:
477:
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59:Engine failure, improper loading, stall
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625:U.S. Marine Corps helicopter collision
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227:Britten-Norman BN-2T Turbine Islander
180:Britten-Norman BN-2T Turbine Islander
83:Britten-Norman BN-2T Turbine Islander
464:
440:"12 perish in plane crash in Kiunga"
795:Bell 525 Relentless prototype crash
374:"2016-04-13 Sunbird BN-2A Islander"
356:"2016-04-13 Sunbird BN-2A Islander"
13:
1019:2016 disasters in Papua New Guinea
336:2013 Rediske Air DHC-3 Otter crash
14:
1045:
785:Russian MChS Ilyushin Il-76 crash
735:CHC Helikopter Service Flight 241
835:ASL Airlines Hungary Flight 7332
655:Air Kasthamandap PAC 750XL crash
591:Aviation accidents and incidents
255:
915:Indonesian Police PZL M28 crash
530:
845:Southwest Airlines Flight 3472
815:Lockhart hot air balloon crash
775:Colombia army helicopter crash
504:
487:Aircraft Accident Final Report
450:
432:
416:
398:
384:
366:
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209:and spinning into the ground.
1:
745:Silk Way Airlines An-12 crash
429:. Retrieved on 13 April 2016.
342:
317:emergency locator transmitter
1029:April 2016 events in Oceania
955:Afriqiyah Airways Flight 209
875:American Airlines Flight 383
865:Malta Fairchild Merlin crash
7:
705:Magdalen Islands MU-2 crash
675:Ecuadorian Army Arava crash
329:
19:2016 Sunbird Aviation crash
10:
1050:
935:Indonesian Air Force C-130
635:Daallo Airlines Flight 159
615:West Air Sweden Flight 294
974:
855:Skol Airlines Flight 9375
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410:The Sydney Morning Herald
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1014:2016 in Papua New Guinea
885:FedEx Express Flight 910
242:airfield traffic pattern
68:Kiunga, Papua New Guinea
715:Halim Airport collision
665:True Aviation Flight 21
427:Aviation Safety Network
297:flight control surfaces
248:were killed instantly.
44:13 April 2016
805:Indian Air Force An-32
765:Korean Air Flight 2708
725:Sunbird Aviation crash
945:Aerosucre Flight 157
895:Alfa Indonesia DHC-4
261:Papua New Guinea AIC
178:On 13 April 2016, a
983:► 2017
977:2015 ◄
825:Emirates Flight 521
755:EgyptAir Flight 804
695:EgyptAir Flight 181
685:Flydubai Flight 981
645:Tara Air Flight 193
273:air traffic service
238:air traffic service
223:visual flight rules
20:
980:
132:, Papua New Guinea
117:, Papua New Guinea
79:Aircraft type
18:
989:
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905:LaMia Flight 2933
392:"Australian News"
304:centre of gravity
199:centre of gravity
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360:Islander Crashed
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192:Papua New Guinea
188:Western Province
130:Western Province
115:Sandaun Province
92:Sunbird Aviation
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546:. Retrieved
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98:Registration
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548:23 December
522:23 December
496:28 November
122:Destination
998:Categories
343:References
231:registered
161:Fatalities
145:Passengers
128:, Kiunga,
48:2016-04-13
444:PNG Facts
321:airworthy
293:feathered
219:chartered
169:Survivors
137:Occupants
543:Loop PNG
330:See also
308:elevator
289:trim tab
207:stalling
89:Operator
74:Aircraft
36:Accident
595: (
593:in 2016
425:at the
277:pan-pan
186:in the
56:Summary
46: (
961:Dec 25
951:Dec 23
941:Dec 20
931:Dec 18
901:Nov 28
891:Oct 31
881:Oct 28
871:Oct 28
861:Oct 24
851:Oct 21
841:Aug 27
811:Jul 30
801:Jul 22
771:Jun 26
761:May 27
751:May 19
741:May 18
731:Apr 29
721:Apr 13
701:Mar 29
691:Mar 29
681:Mar 19
671:Mar 15
651:Feb 26
641:Feb 24
621:Jan 14
286:rudder
213:Flight
102:P2-SBC
921:Dec 7
911:Dec 3
831:Aug 5
821:Aug 3
791:Jul 6
781:Jul 1
711:Apr 4
661:Mar 9
631:Feb 2
611:Jan 8
490:(PDF)
203:flaps
597:2016
550:2017
524:2017
498:2022
153:Crew
64:Site
41:Date
517:ABC
190:of
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466:^
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172:0
156:1
50:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
