4 fatalities

2000-04-29: Britten-Norman Islander (P2-ISA) — North Coast Aviation - PNG — Bapi, Papua New Guinea

Bapi, Papua New GuineaTakeoff (climb)

On April 29, 2000, a Britten-Norman Islander (registration P2-ISA) operated by North Coast Aviation - PNG was involved in an aviation accident near Bapi, Papua New Guinea during takeoff. 4 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft failed to clear trees following takeoff because the rotation maneuver was performed too late in the takeoff roll. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781203575Data APIEditorial standards

A twin-engine aircraft crashed and caught fire shortly after departing from a grass runway in Bapi, resulting in the deaths of all four people on board.

What happened

During a recent flight operation from the Bapi airfield, a twin engine aircraft experienced a catastrophic accident during the initial climb. The flight was operating from a 495-metre grass runway, designated 14/32. Shortly after the aircraft departed the runway surface, it struck several trees, which led to a subsequent crash. The impact caused the aircraft to burst into flames upon hitting the ground.

There were four fatalities recorded in the accident, as all occupants on board the aircraft perished.

Findings

Preliminary assessments of the accident suggest that the sequence of events was influenced by the timing of the takeoff maneuver. It is believed that the pilot completed the rotation too late, preventing the aircraft from gaining sufficient altitude to clear the surrounding obstacles.

Probable cause

The aircraft failed to clear trees following takeoff because the rotation maneuver was performed too late in the takeoff roll.