1987 Twin Otter Crash in Tanafjord (LN-BNK)

Flight Details and Initial Contact The twin-engine aircraft was operating flight WF933, a regular schedule service from Kirkenes to Alta with intermediate stops at Vadsø, Vardø, Båtsfjord, Berlevåg, Mehamn, and Honningsvåg. The aircraft departed Berlevåg Airport at 1319 local time. At 1322, the crew reported to Mehamn Aerodrome Flight Information Service (AFIS) that it was at an altitude of 2,000 feet over the Tanafjord, with an estimated time of arrival in Mehamn at 1333 local time. ## Search and Recovery Mehamn AFIS attempted to contact flight 933 at 1335 but received no response. When the aircraft failed to arrive, search and rescue operations were initiated. The wreckage was located two days later in the mouth of the Tanafjord, at a depth of 40 meters, approximately 6 kilometers southeast of Gamvik. All 15 occupants were killed. ## Official Findings and Subsequent Investigations The official investigation could not determine the exact cause with certainty. It was believed that the accident resulted from a loss of control in-flight after the vertical stabilizer failed due to a combination of altitude turbulences, strong winds, unfavorable atmospheric currents, and inappropriate reaction by the flying crew. The accident occurred during a NATO military exercise within a self-declared no-fly zone for allied military aircraft. A 1987 report that radar had observed an unidentified aircraft on a collision course with the Twin Otter led to a second investigation, which concluded that the presence of other aircraft in the area could be ruled out and that no other airborne objects could have caused the accident. In 1997, claims of new or overlooked evidence regarding NATO aircraft involvement prompted the Accident Investigation Board Norway (AIBN) to re-examine the case, finding no evidence to support those claims. In November 2002, the accident was ordered investigated again after a retired Norwegian air traffic controller stated that a Harrier pilot involved in a mission around the time of the accident had requested an immediate landing due to technical problems. The report published on 20 September 2005 fully supported the findings of all three previous reports and found no evidence of an impact with a Harrier or any other aircraft.