PNG Pilot Deaths.

[planemad2]

PNG PILOT DEATHS


Two New Zealand pilots have been killed in a plane crash in the mountains of Papua New Guinea.

Chris Hansen and Richard West were in the country with the Missionary Aviation Fellowship.

They were piloting a Twin Otter aircraft when it crashed in PNG's Star Mountains early yesterday afternoon.

The aircraft was coming in to land after flying from the PNG town of Tabubil, but nothing more is known about the cause of the crash.

:( :( :(

[Steve76]

Today I heard I have lost one of my greatest childhood friends.

Chris Hanson was more or less my big brother. We met when I returned to NZ from PNG at age 11. We continued a close friendship into our mid 20's at which time Chris became distracted...married Janice and moved with MAF to Aussie.

Chris learned to fly at Rotorua Aeroclub and when he was made redundant from Telecom, went fulltime with finishing his CPL and getting on with MAF. We often went out in the 172 for a bit of fun and Chris's attraction to PNG started from early on in his career.

This was one great guy and a top bloke. One of the few people on the planet whom everyone met and liked. He never hesitated to give of himself and his property and often would lend me his motorbike to travel and chase my girlfriend on.
I even got a speeding ticket taking him to see Janice on the damn thing when he had lost his licence :)

He was competent, safe and a sensible pilot. An intelligent and caring man, with a great history of service and commitment to God and the Church. He leaves behind Janice and his three small children.

As calous as this sounds; I am at least heartened that Chris died doing something worthwhile and for something he really enjoyed. Too often deaths are for naught; Chris died being a pilot.

I love you Chris. Rest well with our Father. We will meet again.

Stephen Boyce
Rotorua
NZ

[tinpis]

Haere ra
The Stars
Tiger country tru
Anywhere that ended in "min" got my knees knocking

RIP

[trevorr]

Sad to hear of this accident. Does anyone know exactly where it happened and if there were other fatalities?

When did this occur?

May God's peace be with the families.

[planemad2]

Pilots die in mission plane crash

By Lloyd Jones in Port Moresby
23feb05


TWO New Zealand pilots have been killed in a plane crash in the mountains of western Papua New Guinea.

Captains Chris Hansen, 37, and Richard West, 40, were piloting a Missionary Aviation Fellowship (MAF) Twin Otter aircraft when it crashed near Wobegon in the Star Mountains early yesterday afternoon.

The cabin attendant and 10 passengers on the twin-engined aircraft survived the crash with only minor injuries.

PNG Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and MAF officers will fly into the area today to begin an investigation into the crash.

MAF's chief operating officer, Mark Emerson, said from Cairns today the two captains were highly qualified, professional and dedicated pilots who had been based in the town of Telefomin with their wives and children.

"It was more than a job to build up flying hours, their hearts were in it to meet the needs of the people."

MAF was organising counselling for staff and support for the two families involved, Mr Emerson said.

Both pilots died from injuries sustained in the crash while the cabin attendant and a passenger were taken to Tabubil Hospital for observation but were released late yesterday, a CAA spokesman said.

The pilots radioed to air traffic controllers they were over their destination but no follow-up call was received, he said.

"Usually it would take two to three minutes to report back but they never did."

The aircraft was coming in to land after flying from Tabubil but nothing more was known about the cause of the crash, Mr Emerson said.

Some of the passengers walked out to the village of Bimin and would be interviewed at the first opportunity, he said.

Captain Hansen had worked for MAF for 10 years, seven of them in PNG, while Captain West had flown with the company for 11 years, three of them in PNG.

MAF had been operating in PNG for 52 years, flying people and supplies to the remotest airstrips in the country and air accidents happened from time to time given the harsh terrain and weather, Mr Emerson said.

MAF's last fatal air accident was 11 years ago.

PNG plane crash under investigation

Feb 24, 2005


A plane accident in Papua New Guinea in which two New Zealand pilots died will be the centre of multiple investigations.

Richard West and Chris Hansen were trying to land in the hilly area of the western region of Woebegone, when their Dehaviland twin otter plane crashed in bad weather.

The pair were in Papua New Guinea working for the Mission Aviation Fellowship, an international organisation that specialises in delivering bible studies to remote areas.

Ten villagers and one flight attendant were also on board and all survived.

General manager of the Mission Aviation Fellowship in Papua New Guinea Rick Velvin says the exact cause of the crash is still unknown, but the pilots were very experienced.

The fellowship and civil aviation are both launching investigations into the incident and autopsies are also being carried out.

A memorial serivce for the men will be held at Mount Hagen over the weekend.

[Induced Turbulence]

Sorry to hear. Quite a number of experienced expat pilots have come to grief in the last 12 months or so. Hasnt been a good year. Condolences to the families involved:(