What happened
On 11 August 2009, a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter, identified by registration P2-MCB, was performing a scheduled commercial flight from Port Moresby to Kokoda Airstrip in Papua New Guinea. The flight was carrying 11 passengers and two crew members at the time of the accident.
At approximately 11:13 local time, the aircraft struck the eastern side of the Kokoda Gap at an elevation of roughly 5,780 feet. The impact occurred within a densely forested jungle region situated about 11 km southeast of the Kokoda Airstrip. The force of the collision caused the total destruction of the aircraft. All 13 fatalities were recorded, as there were no survivors from the crash.
Findings
Investigation records indicate that before the collision, the crew was navigating the aircraft through the Kokoda Gap. This maneuvering was likely an effort to remain within visual range of the terrain due to reported cloudy weather conditions. The investigation determined that the primary cause was controlled flight into terrain, meaning the airworthy aircraft was flown into the ground without the crew realizing a collision was imminent.