What happened
On 12 December 2018, a Cessna 208 operated by PT. Alfa Trans Dirgantara was performing an unscheduled passenger flight in the Papua region of Indonesia. The flight originated from Sentani, carrying one pilot, seven passengers, and 241 kg of cargo.
Upon approaching Kasonaweja Airstrip, the pilot observed clouds to the north and east of the field. While performing a downwind pattern to inspect the runway, the pilot noted light rain and a wet surface. Despite the conditions, the pilot proceeded with the landing approach, aiming for the touchdown zone. The aircraft touched down approximately 140 meters from the start of the runway.
As the pilot applied reverse thrust and braking, the aircraft failed to stop within the available distance. In an attempt to avoid a downslope at the end of the runway, the pilot applied left rudder and left braking. This caused the aircraft to skid left, eventually coming to a stop 14 meters beyond the end of runway 17. The right main gear landed on a downslope, causing the aircraft to tilt heavily to the right, resulting in propeller damage and a damaged right wing. There were no injuries among the occupants.
The investigation
The KNKT investigation focused on the sequence of the landing and the environmental conditions at the airstrip. Investigators noted that the meteorological information provided to the pilot prior to departure was based on visual observations from a charter agent rather than official reporting.
Technically, the investigation found that while the aircraft's Garmin G1000 GPS was capable of flight data logging, no SD card was inserted during the flight, preventing the retrieval of digital flight parameters. The investigation also identified discrepancies between the coordinates listed in the official Aeronautical Information Publication and the operator's internal airstrip information.
Findings
- The aircraft touched down significantly far from the start of the runway.
- The runway surface, consisting of grass, was wet due to recent rain.
- The pilot attempted to steer the aircraft away from a downslope at the end of the runway, which led to the skid.
- The aircraft was unable to stop on the runway due to the long touchdown and wet surface.
- The lack of an SD card in the GPS prevented the analysis of flight data parameters.
Safety action
Following the incident, Alfa Aviation issued a safety circular to its pilots emphasizing the need to identify windshear, take precautions on wet runways, and review procedures for preventing runway excursions.
Additionally, the KNKT issued a safety recommendation to the operator to ensure that SD cards are always inserted in Garmin G1000 units to facilitate flight data monitoring and support future accident investigations.