Aircraft down in PNG ?

[Kagamuga]

Totally unconfirmed rumours suggest an aircraft is missing in PNG.

Rumour only, usual contacts rather quite which is not good.

[Duck Pilot]

Confirmed, I won’t say where or what just yet but things aren’t looking good from what I here. However there is still hope.

Should find out more tomorrow.

[smiling monkey]

Any clues as to the aircraft type?

[Kagamuga]

Air Tractor 502 registration P2-SET.
Aussie SAR Challenger 604 aircraft from Cairns did a sweep of the Southern Gulf area, search will resume in the morning

[smiling monkey]

Air Tractor 502 registration P2-SET.
Aussie SAR Challenger 604 aircraft from Cairns did a sweep of the Southern Gulf area, search will resume in the morning

Cheers for that.

[geeup]

Has it been found?

[Office Update]

Not as far as I have heard. The aircraft has gone missing between Teredau and Baimuru; hostile swamp country, crocodile infested.
We can only hope for a successful outcome.

[Duck Pilot]

Parts of the aircraft and personal belongings have been found, however the pilot and rest of the aircraft is still missing. That was the update as of last night.

Weather in the area is currently unsuitable for VFR ops, low cloud, rain and drizzle. Been like it on and off for weeks out here.

There was also a report in today’s newspaper about the accident. Didn’t really say much apparent from stating that the AIC are preparing to go to Baimuru to investigate.

[geeup]

Was told aircraft wreckage found 50nm from Daru this morning. Era river? Near Kikori?
Person who told me is reliable

[Duck Pilot]

Upstream from Baimuru somewhere, towards the Wabo area

[Mumbai Merlin]

Was a flight plan filed for this flight?
Were any distress calls heard on VHF or HF?
Was the aircraft fitted with ADS-B, V2 tracking, Spider tracks?

[Granny]

Any updates? -cant find anything in the PNG or Australian newspapers

[Mumbai Merlin]

Lack of updates is nothing new in PNG.
I cannot find any trace of a flight plan filed by P2-SET since 2016 (www.flightaware.com (http://www.flightaware.com)), which is rather odd as both VFR and IFR flight plans show up. If the aircraft was returning from Australia after undergoing maintenance, then again nothing showing; ever!
I assume the aircraft was working or owned/leased for the sugar/coffee people in the Ramu valley?
Did the aircraft operate with an AOC (Air Operator Certificate) or was it an owner flown private venture operating over private property, which I would venture to suggest requires no operational oversight.?
Still, apart from a brief one line in "The National" there does not appear to be any acknowledgement in mainstream media in PNG or Australia and New Zealand. I would have thought with an ex-patriate passing the appropriate High Commission would have made a statement.
It's almost as if the accident has not really happened?

[Duck Pilot]

Accident certainly happened, apparently there were pictures on Facebook of people holding parts of wreckage in a river. I’m not on Facebook so I wouldn’t know where to start.

Unconfirmed repots are that the pilot may have ditched it in the Era River, fuselage hadn’t been found as of last night was the message that I got from one reliable source.

Operator was operating (or once did) under a CASA PNG Part 137 approval, which applies to ag operations in PNG.

It certainly is quite surprising that it hasn’t been reported in the Australian media as I’m pretty sure the pilot would have been an expat.

As mentioned in a previous post, the weather at the time in the area was crap, certainly not VMC I suspect, if so it would have been very marginal VMC.

[Capt Fathom]

I found this on Facebook

Purari News - Baimuru LLG Gulf Province - GKN

** BREAKING NEWS **
Small aeroplane crashed between Kikori and Baimuru in the Era river

It has been confirmed that the small yellow aeroplane crashed in the Era river that got most likely missing yesterday afternoon.
Villagers found small pieces of the wing and some medical boxes and the vest of the pilot that is still missing. The locals went out and keep searching for the remains. No pilot or passengers have been found yet.

**Update 31st August 12:00h**
The body of the pilot has been found.
Villagers saw the plane having troubles, trying to land on the river, but bounced back into the air and crashed approximately 100 meters inland of the river.
Yesterday, the body has been brought to Karati and will be taken to Kikori for transport to Moresby, according to the healthcare workers at Karati village.

[Kagamuga]

As a long time PNG person, my heartfelt thanks to the Villagers who have been so helpful and also for retrieving the pilot's body.
You are indeed a very fine example of true PNG citizens..
Thank you!

[tail wheel]

The wreckage has certainly been found:

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/960x540/80-vh_set_a1e8689294b9e9768cf35fa1070e7bc092a949b1.jpg

[Kagamuga]

Still nothing in main stream media or foreign Legations, does anyone have a name for the pilot? please …...

[simonklein]

Still nothing in main stream media or foreign Legations, does anyone have a name for the pilot? please …...

Hello,I only joined this forum to see what happened to my friend of 30 years,John Alders.
It appears it was he who was involved in this event.
I found out while having a coffee 3 days ago when a mutual friend told me.
And yes as you have indicated no news anywhere re this event.
Our 2 local newspapers (Tablelands) mention nothing and it appears the Cairns Post is unaware.
I have emailed ABC...nothing and channel 9....nothing,
The only piece I have found with no updates is in the National newspaper,I'm not allowed to link due to 1 post.It is dated 30th August if someone else would like to post it,you have to go back about 8-10 pages.

Simon.

[tail wheel]

Simon, nothing in The National news paper in PNG: https://www.thenational.com.pg/?s=aircraft+crash (https://www.thenational.com.pg/?s=aircraft+crash)

Can't find a National newspaper in Australia.

[simonklein]

You got the correct paper.
Go to the bar that says Nation and tap.
Then scroll down to older posts and go back 11 pages and it's there.
AIC investigating accident in Gulf.

[Duck Pilot]

http://www.aic.gov.pg/pdf/media/release/2019/Media%20Release%2009_2019%20Air%20Tractor%20Accident%20Kikor i%20Delta%20Area.pdf

[gulliBell]

How you can get from a position report at 9000' and end up ditching in a river in bad weather without any further radio comm is a bit of a mystery.

[geeup]

Airframe failure or leans comes to mind

[gulliBell]

Wasn't it reported seen attempting a controlled landing on Era River in bad weather? VHF comm is good down to 1000' in that area, plus HF if the VHF was kaput.

[Duck Pilot]

The accident happened in the Purari MBZ so he could have been on either frequency.

The VFR into IMC and lose of control case can’t be ruled out, not the first time this kind of accident has happened in PNG before. Doubt the aeroplane would have been IFR.

[Karen Carmona]

Any new about the pilot? how did the accident happen?

[simonklein]

Nada,nothing,zip.
Very sad re John.
Were/are you a friend of his in CR?

[Karen Carmona]

Nada,nothing,zip.
Very sad re John.
Were/are you a friend of his in CR? Yes, I met him in CR
Quickly we became best friends in CR
​​​

[Kagamuga]

I have fairly reliable information confirming the pilot's body has been moved to Port Moresby.
The PNG AIC, web site advises a pre-lim report will be made available in 30 days, standard practice, more an acknowledgement that the accident took place.
Assuming the pilot was not incapacitated, the weather in the area was reported as being extremely bad and had been for some weeks. Strong S/E winds blowing up against the mountain etc. etc.
A highly experienced Ag-Pilot does not necessarily make a good PNG Pilot. Ag Ops take place in exceptional VFR conditions. I would suggest with nothing to support my claim but 99.9% no chance of such a robust airframe failing.
What I do know is that genuine PNG villagers are able to articulate themselves very well; if they say or suggest that the aircraft appeared to be making a controlled landing into the river, perhaps due weather, then that's the way the AIC will report it. We just need to wait and see what the AIC come up with …….

[Karen Carmona]

Nada,nothing,zip.
Very sad re John.
Were/are you a friend of his in CR?
Yes, I met him in CR
Quickly we became best friends here, I chatted with him last 28th of August

[simonklein]

I have fairly reliable information confirming the pilot's body has been moved to Port Moresby.
The PNG AIC, web site advises a pre-lim report will be made available in 30 days, standard practice, more an acknowledgement that the accident took place.
Assuming the pilot was not incapacitated, the weather in the area was reported as being extremely bad and had been for some weeks. Strong S/E winds blowing up against the mountain etc. etc.
A highly experienced Ag-Pilot does not necessarily make a good PNG Pilot. Ag Ops take place in exceptional VFR conditions. I would suggest with nothing to support my claim but 99.9% no chance of such a robust airframe failing.
What I do know is that genuine PNG villagers are able to articulate themselves very well; if they say or suggest that the aircraft appeared to be making a controlled landing into the river, perhaps due weather, then that's the way the AIC will report it. We just need to wait and see what the AIC come up with …….

OK thank you. Very sad for those who knew John.

[gulliBell]

Had the pilot operated in PNG before?

[Karen Carmona]

Had the pilot operated in PNG before?

Sure, he usually worked 6 months in CR and 6 months in PNG for many years, so he knew very well the climate conditions over there I mean he was an experienced pilot

[simonklein]

Had the pilot operated in PNG before?

Yep.For a few years on and off,as I understand.

[gulliBell]

Lots of PNG experienced pilots have come unstuck in bad weather in PNG before. I know the weather in that part of the world at this time of the year can be pretty bad, to the extent that you couldn't even skud run low level a few miles coastal to get into Kerema, or up a river to get into Kikori. You're basically 0/0 in mist and heavy rain.

[geeup]

Think there is a VERY BIG difference between PNG crop dusting / VFR and PNG IFR.

Also guessing aircraft not equipped or rated IF.

Condolences to the family.

[currawong]

"Ag Ops take place in exceptional VFR conditions."

Next time I am working under a 200 ft ceiling with the windscreen wiper going mad, or on a moonless night I shall remember your wise words.

Or not.:yuk:

[vmx]

John will be sadly missed, such a gentlemen and a wonderful human being. Another of so many lost in the past few years.

[Mumbai Merlin]

http://www.aic.gov.pg/pdf/PreRpts/AIC%2019-1002%20P2-SET.pdf (http://www.aic.gov.pg/pdf/PreRpts/AIC%2019-1002%20P2-SET.pdfFirst reliminary)

Prelim report issued by PNG AIC

[Mumbai Merlin]

The previous Air Tractor P2-SET, has been replaced by a Cessna C-188 Ag-Husky, VH-SOY
Still operated by Liddle's Air Services at Innisfail, Tully.
Arrived in PNG, November 2022

[Duck Pilot]

The previous Air Tractor P2-SET, has been replaced by a Cessna C-188 Ag-Husky, VH-SOY
Still operated by Liddle's Air Services at Innisfail, Tully.
Arrived in PNG, November 2022

Avgas must be a challenge to get, unless they are operating it on Mogas.

[Mumbai Merlin]

They buy Avgas and import it by the container load. 80 drums fits into a container.

Its a turbo charged engine so needs to full monty