What happened
A DC-3 aircraft, operated by South Pacific Airmotive Pty Ltd under the authority of Groupair, was performing a commercial charter flight from Sydney (Kingsford-Smith) Airport to Norfolk Island via Lord Howe Island. The flight was transporting 21 passengers and various pieces of band equipment for Anzac Day celebrations. The crew consisted of two pilots, a superable pilot, and one flight attendant.
After departing runway 16 at 09:07:53, the aircraft reached an altitude of roughly 200 feet while retracting its landing gear. During this phase, the crew heard several popping noises from the engine area. Shortly thereafter, a malfunction occurred in the left engine, causing the aircraft to yaw significantly to the left. The pilot in command attempted to manage the situation by closing the left throttle and feathering the propeller while maintaining maximum power on the right engine.
Despite these efforts, the airspeed dropped below the required 81 knots, and the aircraft drifted away from the runway centerline. After determining that a safe climb was no longer possible, the pilot in command declared an intention to ditch the aircraft at 09:09:38. The aircraft entered the water near the southern end of the partially completed runway 16L approximately 46 seconds after the initial distress notification. All 21 passengers and 4 crew members evacuated the sinking wreckage successfully. While most individuals were treated and released from hospitals, the flight attendant sustained serious injuries.
Findings
The investigation identified several critical contributing factors to the accident:
- The aircraft's takeoff weight was in excess of its maximum takeoff weight (MTOW), a fact unknown to the crew.
- The crew utilized an inappropriate takeoff safety speed that did not account for the overloaded state of the DC-3.
- An engine failure occurred shortly after departure, which, combined with the weight, led to a loss of necessary performance.
- Control inputs from the co-pilot during the emergency contributed to degraded single-engine performance.
- The pilot in command waited too long to assume control of the aircraft before deciding on a ditching.
- The takeoff should have been prevented by adherence to correct performance charts and clearer documentation regarding EROPS regulations.
- Significant organizational and regulatory deficiencies were noted within both the operators and the civil aviation authorities.