What happened
A cargo flight operating from Lakeba Island Airport to Suva ended in a fatal accident during the landing phase. The aircraft, a twin engine plane, was transporting a shipment of fish along with one passenger and the pilot when it approached runway 10 at Suva-Nausori Airport.
As the aircraft was on short final approach, the pilot encountered significant wind conditions. During this phase, the aircraft descended too low and struck a taxi that was traveling on a road located approximately 200 metres before the threshold of runway 10. The impact caused the aircraft to lose control, leading to a crash that resulted in an intense fire. The accident resulted in two fatalities among the occupants of the aircraft, while the two individuals inside the taxi sustained serious injuries.
Findings
- The aircraft was flying at an insufficient altitude during the final approach.
- Strong winds encountered during the approach contributed to the low flight path.
- The collision occurred with a vehicle on a roadway positioned near the airport perimeter.