What happened
A flight operated by the PNG Army, transporting 26 cadets and three crew members, was traveling from Lae to Port Moresby when it encountered severe weather. The mission proceeded normally over Wau under favorable visibility; however, as the pilot attempted to navigate through the Kudjeru Gap Valley, cloud cover rapidly descended to altitudes of approximately 10,500 feet.
While operating at an altitude of 5,000 feet, the aircraft attempted to climb to maintain clearance. During this maneuver, the right wing made contact with trees, leading to a crash on a mountain slope roughly 50 meters below the peak. Search teams located the wreckage three days after the incident.
Of the occupants on board, one fatality was recorded following the accident. While five passengers were successfully evacuated from the site, one individual succumbed to their injuries.
Findings
The investigation determined that the accident was a result of controlled flight into terrain occurring after the pilot entered an area characterized by low visibility.