What happened
On 16 July at 03:32 local time, a scheduled transport flight departed from Mokmer aerodrome on Biak Island, bound for Manila. The aircraft was carrying a total of 59 passengers and nine crew members. Shortly after departing the runway, the pilot contacted the control tower to request that the runway lighting remain illuminated. Following this, the pilot sought authorization to perform a low-altitude flyby, known as a "low run," over the aerodrome.
After receiving permission for the maneuver, the aircraft performed a series of turns, moving right and then left, before heading west back toward the airfield. During this period of low-altitude flight, the aircraft began a steady loss of altitude. At 03:36 local time, the aircraft type impacted the ocean approximately one kilometer from the coastline. The impact caused the plane to break into pieces and ignite, leading it to sink rapidly. Rescue efforts managed to save twelve people, including one stewardess and eleven passengers. However, the stewardess and one passenger succumbed to their injuries at a hospital.
Findings
Investigation into the crash suggested that the incident was likely caused by either pilot error or a mechanical malfunction, though investigators could not definitively distinguish between the two or determine if both factors contributed simultaneously. The inquiry noted that performing low-altitude maneuvers on scheduled commercial flights introduces unnecessary risks. The board emphasized that the inherent dangers of operating near the ground during takeoff and landing phases should not be heightened by intentional low-altitude flight patterns.