What happened
On April 21, 2002, an Antonov AN-72, registration ES-NOP, was performing a scheduled cargo charter flight from Sentani Airport to Wamena. The flight, operated by PT Trigana Air Services, was part of a series of transport missions planned for the day. During the approach to Wamena, the crew executed an 'S' pattern to align with the runway. As the aircraft descended through 12,000 feet, it passed another aircraft, an Antonov A26 with registration ER-AFE.
Upon reaching the runway, the aircraft touched down within the touchdown zone but experienced two bounces, the second of which was notably more intense. As the aircraft rolled down the runway, the pilot noticed an unusual nose-down attitude and attempted to maintain control using brakes, reverse thrust, and rudder inputs. During this deceleration, the loadmaster observed black smoke emerging from the floor of the forward cargo area. The smoke became thick enough to irritate the eyes of the crew members.
After the aircraft came to a complete stop, the crew attempted to manage the situation. The loadmaster exited with an extinguisher, while the pilot shut down the engines and opened the cockpit window to assist. The flight engineer attempted to use the overhead emergency exit, but was unsuccessful, leading the flight officer and engineer to evacuate through the cockpit window. Although the airport fire brigade eventually arrived, they faced initial delays due to a failure to start the fire truck. The fire was eventually suppressed after approximately 30 minutes, but the forward section of the aircraft and the entire cargo load were destroyed by the flames. There were 0 fatalities and 0 injuries.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a significant bounce during the landing phase, which preceded the appearance of smoke.
- Black smoke originated from the forward section of the cargo compartment during the landing roll.
- Emergency response was delayed by mechanical issues with the airport's fire truck battery.