What happened
On 15 September 2021, a DHC-6-300 aircraft, registration PK-OTW, was performing an unscheduled cargo flight from Nabire to Bilorai in Papua. The crew consisted of two pilots and one engineer. The flight was planned under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) with an expected endurance of 2 hours and 30 minutes.
After departing Nabire at 0644 LT, the aircraft climbed to 9,500 feet. During the approach to Bilorai, the crew monitored weather updates and traffic information from other aircraft in the area. While established on a left downwind for Runway 27, a stall warning occurred at 0726 LT. The crew identified the airspeed had dropped to 65 knots and decided to execute a go-around, notifying both air traffic control and a following aircraft.
During the maneuver, the aircraft's flight path became unstable. Flight following data indicated the aircraft was outbound from Bilorai before the crew began turning. The second in command noted the aircraft was passing 8,000 feet and repeatedly instructed the pilot to fly left because the aircraft was approaching the terrain too closely. At 0729 LT, the aircraft impacted a ridge at an elevation of 8,100 feet, approximately 2 nautical miles west of the airport. There were 3 fatalities.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a stall during the approach phase.
- The crew was flying in close proximity to terrain during the go-around maneuver.