What happened
On a local training mission departing from Apia-Faleolo Airport at approximately 17:35 local time, an aircraft carrying three pilots experienced a catastrophic loss of control. Following several completed circuits in the vicinity of the airport, the crew intended to conclude the flight and return to the airfield. However, while maintaining an altitude of 3,000 feet, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled dive.
The plane subsequently impacted the waters of the Apolima Strait, a few kilometers from the shoreline. Following the crash, only minor debris was observed floating on the surface, and the primary wreckage of the aircraft was not retrieved from the sea. The accident resulted in three fatalities, claiming the lives of all crew members on board, including the company's General Manager and Chief Pilot.
Findings
Investigations into the accident determined that the loss of control was triggered by a structural failure during flight. Specifically, the air-stair door opened unexpectedly and detached from the airframe. This component struck the tail section of the aircraft, causing sufficient damage to the empennage to induce an unrecoverable pitch-down motion, leading the plane into its final dive.