Incident Overview
On 11 February 2010, an Avions de Transport Regional ATR 42-300 aircraft, registered PK-YRP, operated by Trigana Air Service as flight TGN162, was conducting a scheduled passenger service from Kalimarau Airport Berau to Samarinda. The flight carried 52 persons: two pilots, one engineer, two flight attendants, one flight dispatcher, and 46 passengers (43 adults, one child, and two infants).
Sequence of Events
The aircraft departed Berau at 0230 UTC and climbed to Flight Level 140. Balikpapan approach cleared the crew to track from waypoint LOLOT directly to Samarinda. After transferring to Temindung Tower in Samarinda, the crew was cleared to track direct to left downwind for runway 04. The controller advised that the wind was 060/12 knots. No abnormalities were reported, and the operation appeared normal.
During the final approach for runway 04, the left engine's ECU light illuminated, followed by low oil pressure and torque indications. The pilot in command decided to go around, divert to Balikpapan, and execute the QRH engine shutdown procedure. The aircraft commenced a climb to 4,000 feet with the left engine inoperative.
Approximately 16 nautical miles from Balikpapan Airport, while climbing through 3,800 feet, the right engine's ECU light illuminated, immediately followed by low oil pressure and low torque indications. The right engine then failed. The crew broadcast a MAYDAY to Balikpapan Approach and decided to conduct a forced landing into a clear field in the Samboja area, about 16 nautical miles from Balikpapan Airport. The pilot in command instructed the flight attendants to prepare passengers for an emergency landing. After the aircraft came to a stop, the pilot in command initiated an evacuation.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined that both engines lacked fuel before flaming out, indicating that fuel management was out of control during the flight, possibly due to misleading fuel quantity indications. A proper analysis could not be performed because both the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) were inoperative.