What happened
On 3 October 2012, a PAC 750 XL aircraft, registration PK-RWT, was conducting a cargo transport mission from Koropun to Dekai in the Papua region of Indonesia. This flight was the ninth leg of the day's operations for the operator, Yayasan Pelayanan Penerbangan Tariku. The aircraft was carrying one pilot, one passenger, and a significant load of cargo.
After arriving at Koropun, the pilot reported the aircraft was on the ground at 0120 UTC. However, during the subsequent departure toward Dekai, the aircraft disappeared from contact. An emergency signal from the aircraft's ELT was detected by a local user terminal shortly thereafter. Following a search and rescue effort, the wreckage was located on 5 October 2012, in a mountainous area at an elevation of approximately 7,000 feet. The impact resulted in two fatalities.
The investigation
Due to the difficult terrain, investigators were unable to reach the crash site directly and relied on photographs taken by search and rescue personnel. The examination of the wreckage indicated that the aircraft struck the terrain in a level position and at a relatively high speed.
Satellite imagery from the period surrounding the accident showed the presence of middle clouds and cumulus formations across the flight path. While the investigation could not definitively measure the exact visibility at the moment of impact, the meteorological data suggested the presence of cloud layers that could obstruct terrain visibility.
Findings
- The aircraft was airworthy and possessed a valid certificate of airworthiness prior to the flight.
- The pilot was properly licensed and met all regulatory requirements for the operation.
- The wreckage damage and impact trajectory strongly suggest the accident was a Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT).
- The flight was being conducted under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), which require specific visibility and cloud clearance margins.
- The presence of cumulus and middle cloud formations likely resulted in the aircraft entering Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC), where the pilot's view of the terrain was obscured.