What happened
On a scheduled service flight, an aircraft departed Berlevåg Airport at 13:19 local time, traveling toward Mehamn with several intermediate stops including Vadsø, Vardø, Båtsfjord, Berlevåg, and Honningsvåg. At 13:22, the pilot contacted Mehamn Aerodrome Flight Information Service (AFIS) to report an altitude of 2,000 feet while positioned over Tanafjord, providing an estimated arrival time of 13:33.
Following a failed attempt by Mehamn AFIS to contact the aircraft at 13:35, search and rescue operations were launched. The wreckage was discovered two days later in the mouth of the Tanafloerd, submerged at a depth of 40 meters approximately 6 km southeast of Gamvik. There were 15 fatalities among the occupants.
Findings
Investigations into the crash of the Twin Otter concluded that the exact cause remained uncertain. However, investigators determined that the accident likely resulted from a loss of control in-flight following the failure of the vertical stabilizer. This structural failure was attributed to a combination of strong winds, atmospheric currents, altitude turbulence, and improper responses by the crew.
While various theories emerged suggesting potential mid-air collisions with NATO military aircraft during a nearby exercise, multiple investigations—including those in 1987, 1997, and 2005—found no evidence to support such claims. Authorities concluded that no other airborne objects were involved in the accident.