What happened
On 3 December 2011, a Casa 212-200 aircraft, registration PK-NCZ, operated by PT. Merpati Nusantara Airlines, experienced a runway excursion during its arrival at Larat Airport, Maluku. The flight was a scheduled service from Langur to Larat.
Upon touchdown on runway 09, the aircraft experienced two bounces that drifted the plane to the left of the runway centerline. During the sequence, the pilot in command took control from the pilot flying to attempt to correct the course and return to the centerline; however, the aircraft continued to drift toward the runway shoulder. The aircraft eventually came to a stop 607 meters from the touchdown area, positioned 15 meters to the left of the runway edge.
There were 22 people on board, including 15 passengers and 7 crew and staff. The incident resulted in one serious injury and one minor injury among the passengers. The aircraft sustained severe damage, including a collapsed nose landing gear, heavy wrinkling to the left side of the fuselage, and damage to the right wing tip and right aileron.
The investigation
The investigation by the NTSC focused on the flight sequence and the aircraft's mechanical state. Investigators established that the aircraft was in an airworthy condition and had been maintained according to approved schedules prior to the event.
Examination of the landing sequence revealed that the aircraft bounced twice during the landing roll. While the pilot in command attempted to intervene and stabilize the aircraft on the centerline, the lateral drift could not be arrested. The investigation also noted that the pilot flying was part of a line check program at the time of the accident.
Findings
- The aircraft was maintained according to approved schedules and was airworthy before the accident.
- The pilot in command attempted to regain directional control after the second bounce, but was unable to prevent the aircraft from drifting off the runway.
- The aircraft drifted left of the runway centerline following multiple bounces during touchdown.
- The pilot flying was undergoing a line check program during the flight.