Caravan down in PNG

[Jock p]

Just heard a caravan has gone down between Kikori and Kumusi.

Not sure of the details but heard the two pilots have been killed :(

Sad news

[TunaBum]

Tropicair P2-SAH. 3 dead 7 injured.

:sad:

[ops_are_normal]

Horrible news :sad:

[OzFlyGuy]

Three killed in PNG plane crash - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-26/three-killed-in-png-plane-crash/5117600)

[Captain Nomad]

Oh boy, that's nasty. :sad: My thoughts are with those concerned. The pilots must have done their best. Poor consolation but remarkable that seven have survived given the circumstances. I hope they get swift assistance.

[OzFlyGuy]

The co-pilot had been with Tropicair for 4-6 weeks, and was from Melbourne, Aust.

[5-in-50]

ditched into a river?

[HeliDriverNZ]

The river would have been the lesser of the 2 evils....it's all 200ft trees around there

[lilflyboy262...2]

Condolences to all those involved.
Does anybody know the captain that was flying? Just the initals will do. I have a few friends there.

[mudpig]

I don't know the names but we diverted over to the Kikori area when we heard the mayday call and then the beacon sounding a short time later (1330 local time). By the time we got to Kikori (about 1400) the beacon had stopped sounding. Obviously thinking the worst we stayed high (18000' also due fuel consideration) looking for smoke. We searched west of Kikori. As it turned out a Hevilift 412 found the wreckage at 1500 at a disused old strip called Kibeni (30nm west of Kikori).
They had managed to find the only clearing for 100's of square miles. Managed to glide there only to over run a strip that hasn't been maintained for many years. These boys are deadset heroes in my books and the survivors had more than luck on their side.
We departed the area when Hevilift called they were departing Kibeni with 11 POB heading for Kopi.
I must say I have a lot of admiration for everyone involved in the search. Everyone showed absolute professionalism (often PNG pilots have a somewhat of a cowboy reputation) and curtesy and no one pressed the Hevilift boys on the status of the pax or crew. Everyone just let them get on with the job. Well done to IRM (Hevilift for passing on the details to Moresby good on you Frazer). Well done to the Hevilift 412 crew for finding the site and carrying them all out. And last but not least well done to JWM (Tropicair Caravan) who gave us great information to start the search. I'm just very sorry the outcome wasn't a lot better. Cheers to all of you.

[TowerDog]

What is going on with the PT-6s...?
Another Caravan went down in Hawaii 6 or 8 weeks ago, the engine just quit but they landed on a road, nobody hurt.

[Ixixly]

Lets not jump to conclusions yet TowerDog, there are a lot of PT6s all over the world probably doing somewhere in the vicinity of a Million hours a year or more, 2 Incidents involving PT6s in a space of 6-8weeks doesn't necessarily mean it's an engine issue.

Sounds like they did everything they could under trying conditions but the planets didn't quite line up for them, condolences to all involved and the boys and girls in PNG at the moment, never easy to lose someone you know especially in your own backyard. It's even harder early on when you don't know exactly what happened, no need to go fanning flames with no real information, that just gets people jumpy and nervous. I'm all for rumours but let's at least base them on some actual facts instead of tenuous links.

[TowerDog]

Not jumping to no conclussions, asking a question.

Last month I was riding in a Caravan as pax on 4 legs over water and I sure missed not having a second engine.
(that is after 2000 hrs single engine time in bush-Alaska back in the 80s)

So, any other reports of PT-6s quitting for no good reasons?
(I assume lack of fuel was not the issue, nor icing)

[mudpig]

Pt6' s are just as susceptible to failures as any other engine

[OzFlyGuy]

Hi Mudpig,


thank you for the detailed update. I am a best friend of the co-pilot that was involved in this horrible event and have known since Monday but with few details.

[OzFlyGuy]

An update - Tropicair has suspended operations.

Tropicair suspends operations after fatal PNG crash - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-27/airline-suspends-operations-after-australian-pilot-dies-in-png/5118786)

[zac21]

More info would be appreciated when available please,
Was it into a river or a landing area,,, or both?
RIP to the lost crew and pax.

[Cactusjack]

PNG is a tough climate for any pilot whether they be a newbie or be experienced. Somewhere a mother has lost a son. One death in our industry is one death to many.
In gods speed.....

[zac21]

Mods,

Thanks for the deletions,

Zac,

[Two_dogs]

Cactusjack

PNG is a tough climate for any pilot whether they be a newbie or be experienced. Somewhere a mother has lost a son. One death in our industry is one death to many.
In gods speed.....



It's a tough time for all concerned when anyone dies in any circumstance. His poor Mother has lost two Sons in 12 months. Thanks mods, for the deletions.

I knew Adam, and he was enthusiastic about his future. It's a shame he did not have the opportunity to fulfil his dreams. RIP Mate.

Mother loses second son in a year after after PNG plane crash - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-27/airline-suspends-operations-after-australian-pilot-dies-in-png/5118786)

[Diesel Pilot]

I know the PIC, a great bloke and an outstanding pilot. Of the 10 souls on board 3 perished. A terrible situation for all of those involved, which could have been much worse. RIP to those who didn't make it.

[zac21]

Further info re: this accident have not been forthcoming.
Does anyone have some more accurate details please?
I hope the survivors recover swiftly.

Regards,
Zac

[feetonthedash]

A mate told me they pulled the engine out of the water and it has a big hole in it where something let go :bored::bored:

[zac21]

[A mate told me they pulled the engine out of the water and it has a big hole in it where something let go] ???

Has anyone any more knowledge of this please??

[Rotor Work]

Update from ABC News

PNG plane crash: report blames loss of engine power for crash, killing Australian pilot Adam Reid - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-13/loss-of-engine-power-blamed-for-deadly-png-crash/5156334)

Air safety authorities in Papua New Guinea have released a preliminary report into a plane crash that killed an Australian trainee pilot last month.Victorian man Adam Reid, 38, and two passengers were killed when a Tropicair Cessna Grand Caravan crashed in Gulf Province.
The Accident Investigation Commission's preliminary report says two minutes into the flight from Kamusi to Purari there was a loud pop then a complete loss of engine power.
The pilot made a forced landing at a disused and bumpy airstrip but could not bring the plane to a stop, and it crashed into a river.
He was able to get out of the cockpit and help the surviving passengers to the riverbank.
The report says the pilot had more than 2,000 flying hours, 800 of which were in the Cessna.
It says initial investigations of the engine revealed substantial internal damage.