History of the Flight
On 26 February 2022, a Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 aircraft, registration PK-SNB, operated by PT Smart Cakrawala Aviation (Smart Aviation), was conducting an unscheduled passenger flight. The planned route consisted of two round trips between Douw Aturure Airport (WABI), Nabire, Papua, and Bayabiru Airstrip, Paniai, Papua. All flights were conducted under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) with a single pilot.
Before the first flight, the aircraft engineer and pilot performed a preflight inspection, including brake checks and tailwheel locking lever verification. No abnormalities were found, and the maintenance log recorded no issues.
For the first flight, the pilot received weather and runway condition information from the Flight Operation Officer (FOO), based on visual observations by a local resident, including a photo of the runway. The weather was reported clear, and the photo showed some wet areas from rain the previous night. The pilot considered this typical for Bayabiru and proceeded.
The first flight from Nabire to Bayabiru departed at 0743 LT and landed on Runway 10 at approximately 0814 LT. After landing, the pilot made a 180° turn to the runway start to disembark passengers and unload cargo. The pilot noted that the runway surface soil was soft and partially muddy.
At 0929 LT, the aircraft departed Nabire for the second flight to Bayabiru with five passengers on board. The aircraft cruised at 7,500 feet. The flight was uneventful until the landing approach to Runway 10. On final approach, the pilot observed visual meteorological conditions (VMC), and GPS data indicated calm wind.
At 0959 LT, the aircraft touched down on Runway 10 and veered left. The pilot attempted to recover to the runway centerline. The aircraft then skidded, and the left wing tip struck bushes on higher ground to the left of the runway strip. Subsequently, the aircraft swung left, then the right wing and nose impacted the higher ground on the left side.
After the aircraft stopped, the pilot and passengers evacuated without assistance. No injuries occurred. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
Damage to Aircraft
The propeller blades were damaged, and the engine power section was wrinkled. The left wing tip was bent, and the navigation light was broken.
Injuries to Persons
No injuries were reported among the pilot or passengers.
Organizational and Management Information
The report notes that the aerodrome risk classification and flight operations to Bayabiru were documented. The operator had procedures for assessing runway conditions.
Safety Action and Recommendations
The KNKT issued safety recommendations to Smart Aviation to address safety issues identified in the preliminary investigation.