What happened
On 9 April 2009, a British Aerospace BAe 146-300, identified by registration PK-BRD, was conducting a scheduled transport of passengers and cargo from Sentani Airport to Wamena Airport in Papua. The flight was operated by PT. Aviastar Mandiri Airlines with a crew including two pilots, two flight attendants, a load master, and an engineer.
During the arrival at Wamena, the aircraft initiated a go-around after its first approach to runway 15. While the crew was maneuvering the aircraft onto a right downwind leg to prepare for a subsequent landing attempt, the plane struck the ground. The impact caused the total destruction of the aircraft, and all individuals on board were fatalities.
Findings
Investigations into the crash revealed that the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) had functioned as intended regarding standard alerts, as confirmed by manufacturer simulations. While the specific look-ahead feature of the system appeared to have been inactive following the go-around, there was no evidence that the crew had intentionally disabled the terrain functions.
The investigation concluded that the primary cause was the pilot's failure to take corrective action following repeated warnings from the GPWS. The crew lacked sufficient awareness of the aircraft's proximity to the terrain and failed to adhere to the operator's established procedures. Following the accident, the NTSC recommended improvements to the operator's missed approach documentation and addressed broader safety concerns regarding aircraft modifications and regulatory oversight.