Incident Overview
On 18 July 2010, a De Havilland DHC6-300 Twin Otter aircraft, registered PK-NUH, operated by PT. Merpati Nusantara Airline, was conducting a scheduled flight from Bintuni Airport, West Papua, to Domine Eduard Osok Airport in Sorong. The aircraft carried nine occupants: two pilots and seven passengers, including an engineer.
Flight Sequence
The takeoff roll began on runway 31 at 11:19 local time (02:19 UTC). The co-pilot was the pilot flying. During the takeoff run, the pilot monitoring called "Rotate." One second later, the pilot monitoring observed that one engine torque indicator had dropped to zero and called "Fail, fail." The pilot flying aborted the takeoff by reducing power levers and engaging reverse thrust. The aircraft veered to the right of the runway centerline and came to rest on the right shoulder at the end of runway 31.
Damage and Injuries
No injuries occurred. The aircraft sustained minor damage: the nose landing gear collapsed, both main landing gear tires were flat, and the right foot step was bent. No other damage to property or the environment was reported.
Aircraft and Maintenance
Prior to departure, the aircraft was deemed airworthy. The right engine torque indicator fuse had melted, which may have caused the torque indicator to drop to zero. A similar issue had occurred two weeks before this incident. Both pilots held valid licenses and had recently completed proficiency checks and recurrent Crew Resource Management (CRM) training after the incident.