PNG incident

[Bravohotel]

Just had a IM of an incident in PNG involving an Airlink 404....anyone confirm

[geeup]

:( First reports said Cessna but just heard it was most probably a Bandit

[Bravohotel]

Airlink sometimes have both types based in POM

[geeup]

EMB110 wreckage found 30nm short of Hoskins.... :(
Still every sketchy on details

[Bravohotel]

Thanks for the updated information....I was informed that this occured outside POM I think that must be incorrect if the Aircraft came down near Hosking WNB

[Diatryma]

Freighter - P2-ALU - both pilots deceased.

Condolences to all family and friends.

Di :(

[Torres]

I presume in the hills to the east?

There's another Bandit about the same distance to the west of the strip.

[otter300]

If this is so was the any of the crew Aus as i know of some that fly up that way.
Condolences to the families

Otter

[williamsf1]

any news on this one as there are a few of us waiting to hear from mates in PNG....

[swamp monkey]

Rego was P2-ALW I believe, as said earlier both crew deceased. Apparently both were nationals however there may have been another was on board on doing an observation flight. Not 100% sure though........third hand information.

[Killer Loop]

Aircraft crashed (forced landing?) on a beach near Kandrian between 0500 and 0530. News paper run. Two national pilots, both deceased.

Condolences to all the Alpha Lima guys, family and friends.:(

[t_cas]

Another terrible blow to this company. Condolences to the families and friends of the pilots involved. PNG is so unforgiving. Very sad.:(

[Ricky Bobby]

I had the absolute pleasure to speak with a few of their national pilots based in POM when I was in town visiting another company. They were a good bunch of blokes, condolences to their families and friends.

[AQIS Boigu]

Pilots killed in air crash
TWO Air Link pilots were killed when their plane crashed in West New Britain early last Friday morning.
The bodies of captain Patrick Kundin from Mt Hagen and first officer Fredrick Murdoch from Kiribati were retrieved from the crash site between Gasmata and Kandrian on Saturday and flown to Port Moresby.
The cause of the crash is yet to be established and the Civil Aviation Authority said its air safety investigators would travel to the site today.
Airlink chief executive officer John McMullen said the plane was on a freight run with newspapers for East and West New Britain when it crashed.
He said the plane left Jackson’s Airport, Port Moresby, at 3.50am for Hoskins. He said the pilots made contact with CAA at 5.02am which was the last they heard from them.
Mr McMullen said they had expected the two to be in Hoskins by 6am and when no word came in by 6.30am they suspected trouble.
A timber company, Feflo PNG Ltd, logging in remote West New Britain, called later that day to inform Air Link of the crash which happened close to where the company is logging.
Heli Niugini attempted recovery last Friday but the pilot could not get to the site because of bad weather, but retrieved the bodies on Saturday and took them to Hoskins and flown to Port Moresby.

[Angle of Attack]

Damn, thats sad news. I knew Patrick years ago , he learned to fly in Queensland, did a couple of flights with him, quiet yet a true gentleman, nice bloke.........:{

[wateroff]

A sad, sad day. Pat me old mate, you will be missed. For those of you reading, he was a good stick, true gentleman and good mate. He would give you the shirt off his back. He would make you smile when you needed it, and his laugh was infectious. A good bloke and sad loss. :(

[Captain Nomad]

Oh no! - another flying collegue is no more... :{ I knew FO Fred from his training days. Went to the same flying school as me in NSW. Didn't know he had moved to PNG. I remember him as being a really happy guy. I still remember the hot summer afternoons we spent water wrestling in the swimming pool... RIP mate...

PNG's appetite for blood knows no boundaries - take care PNG aviators!

[Ricky Bobby]

apparently no more flights to Mt Hagen for the time being due to compo claims from the late Captain's wantoks :(

[geeup]

Is that all flight have been stopped to Hagen or just AirLink??
Could get interesting with election in a couple of weeks!:rolleyes:

[777tinpis]

Hi there guys,

On behalf of all the Alpha Lima boys thanks so much for the messages of condolences and words of support. This reply of thanks comes late due to most of us not having access to the internet. We are still waiting for the official report from the CAA investigators to the cause of the accident. To re-confirm the aircraft was a Bandit P2-ALU.
So thanks again, and may our two fellow aviators who died doing what they love, rest in peace.

[PieChucker]

Very sad news, remember many a fun night with Pat in Madang. You will always be remembered as a fun loving champion.

Have heard varying stories from forced landings to a wing falling off in flight????