What happened
On 2 September 2007, a Casa 212-200 aircraft, registered PK-NCN, was operating a scheduled passenger flight from Ambon to Dobo via Langgur. During the final approach to Rar Gwarma Airport, the aircraft encountered a sudden bump while traveling at approximately 90 knots. In an attempt to stabilize the aircraft, the co-pilot pushed the control column forward and simultaneously reduced power.
At an altitude of roughly 100 feet, the pilot in command took control and initiated a go-around. During this climb, the aircraft's left main landing gear struck a 25-centimeter-high mound in a grass-covered area located 38 meters before the start of runway 0ob5. The impact caused the left landing gear to shift backward and out of alignment. The aircraft successfully completed the go-around and landed on runway 23, where it initially veered left of the centerline before the pilot corrected the path. The aircraft eventually came to a stop 665 meters down the runway. There were no injuries among the 22 people on board.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the flight crew's actions and the physical damage to the aircraft. Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) analysis revealed that the crew was managing strong crosswinds. The investigation established that the reduction of power during the initial approach instability likely caused the aircraft to lose airspeed and sink.
Physical examination of the wreckage confirmed substantial damage to the aircraft's structure. The impact with the mound resulted in the breaking of the left main landing gear mounting structure, the bending of frames 8 and 9, and wrinkling of the surrounding skin. Evidence from rubber marks on runway 23 further indicated that the landing gear had shifted significantly from its original position.