What happened
A fatal aviation accident occurred when an aircraft struck a heavily forested mountain area. The impact took place during the flight phase involving low altitude or descent, leading to the destruction of the plane.
The wreckage was located by search teams approximately 17 km south of Kokoda. The crash resulted in three fatalities, including the pilot and two female passengers. Additionally, the accident caused injuries to other occupants; one passenger sustained serious injuries, while another survived without injury.
Findings
Investigations into the wreckage site indicate that the primary cause of the accident was that the pilot failed to maintain sufficient altitude before the aircraft collided with the terrain.