from Australian Transport Safety Bureau preliminary report 10 March 2003 -
"On 31 January 2003 at 0621 UTC (1521 local time), an Ilyushin 76TD, registered RDPL-34141, impacted the ground during an approach to runway 14 at Cakung Airport, Baucau, Timor Leste. The impact site was about 2 km to the north-northwest of the airport. Impact forces and post-impact fire destroyed the aircraft, and the six occupants were fatally injured. "
"Broken stratus cloud was forecast between 800 ft and 2,000 ft above mean sea level, with scattered cumulus and stratocumulus cloud between 2,000 and 20,000 ft. Aerodrome forecasts were not issued for Baucau. The published elevation of Cakung Airport, Baucau, was 1,800 ft above mean sea level."
"Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft overfly the airport twice prior to its impact with the ground. One witness reported that on both occasions, the aircraft appeared to be flying in the direction of runway 14, at about 600 ft above ground level, and was partly obscured by cloud."
"Air traffic services were not available at Baucau at the time of the occurrence. A notice to airman was valid at the time of the occurrence, advising that air traffic control was available only for aircraft conducting United Nations troop rotations at Baucau."
"An instrument approach and landing procedure for the Baucau non-directional beacon was available on request from the Civil Aviation Division, Timor Leste. It is not known whether the crew had that procedure."
"Recommendation 1
The Australian Accredited Representative and advisers recommend that the Government of Timor Leste liaise with United Nations Air Operations to develop and promulgate approved instrument approach and aerodrome charts for Baucau, Timor Leste, as a matter of urgency, to enhance flight safety of aircraft operations into Baucau.
Recommendation 2
The Australian Accredited Representative and advisers recommend that the Government of Timor Leste liaise with Jeppessen Sanderson to ensure that Jeppessen Sanderson is provided with current, approved data for appropriate instrument approach and aerodrome charts for Baucau, Timor Leste, and that charts approved by the Government of Timor Leste are promulgated by Jeppessen Sanderson, to enhance flight safety of aircraft operations into Baucau.
Recommendation 3
The Australian Accredited Representative and advisers recommend that the Government of Timor Leste review the appropriateness of the current provision of Air Traffic Services and facilities to non-United Nations aircraft operations into Baucau, Timor Leste in the interest of enhancing flight safety of aircraft operations into Baucau."