What happened
On the day of the accident, an aircraft departed Port Vila International Airport at 12:29 local time, transporting six passengers toward Tanna. Following this leg, the flight proceeded to Mystery Island, Aneityum, arriving at 14:02. After boarding four additional passengers, the aircraft departed Aneityum at 14:12, heading back toward Port Vila.
While approximately 130 km from the destination, the pilot noticed that the fuel gauges showed much lower levels than anticipated. Despite this, the decision was made to proceed over the water toward Port Vila. Roughly 24 km from the runway, the right engine experienced a surge and lost power. At a distance of 15 km from the airport and at an altitude of 4,000 ft, the pilot communicated with air traffic control to receive landing clearance for runway 29; notably, no engine noise was heard during this radio contact.
Four minutes later, the pilot issued a MAYDAY declaration, reporting a position 9 km from the runway at 1,500 ft while attempting an emergency landing. During this period, another engine surge occurred before the engine ceased functioning. The pilot subsequently notified controllers that the aircraft was losing altitude and intended to land in a nearby farm. The aircraft type struck two coconut trees before hitting the ground, resulting in the total destruction of the plane. The accident resulted in one fatality and several injuries, including two serious injuries and minor injuries to the pilot and one passenger.
Findings
- The flight was impacted by unanticipated low fuel levels.
- The loss of power in the right engine preceded the final emergency descent.
- A secondary engine surge occurred during the final approach phase.