History of Flight
On Sunday, 14 February 2021, at 07:32 hours local time, a DHC-6-300 aircraft operated by Manta Air (registration 8Q-RAE) was on a charter flight from Maalifushi water aerodrome to Velana International Airport (VIA). The flight was conducted under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and was the first flight of the day after an overnight shutdown. The First Officer was the pilot flying. Taxi-out, take-off, cruise, and approach into VIA were reported as normal.
According to the crew, upon touchdown on the North-Right water runway, the aircraft bounced and banked to the right, causing the right wing to dip into the water. The aircraft did not recover from the right bank, veered to the right, performed a U-turn, and came to rest inverted. The PIC stated that the aircraft's landing attitude was flat during this flight, as was the case for all landings performed by the First Officer on the previous day. The PIC believed this could have been a factor due to differences in landing attitudes between ATR aircraft and the Twin Otter on floats.
Aircraft and Crew Information
The aircraft, manufacturing serial number 617, was built by de Havilland Canada on 20 November 1979. It was registered in the Maldives on 3 December 2020 and operated on floats (Wipaire 13000). The cabin was configured with eight VIP seats and one standard seat for the cabin crew. The aircraft had two cockpit exits and three cabin emergency exits (two on the right, one on the left).
The flight crew consisted of two pilots, both holding valid Commercial Pilot Licenses issued by the Maldives Civil Aviation Authority, with current medicals, seaplane ratings, and proficiency checks. The operator was Manta Aviation Pvt Ltd. (Manta Air) under Air Operator Certificate No.014. The registered owner was Manta Aviation Pvt Ltd., and the owner was Kenn Borek Air Ltd.
Injuries and Damage
Onboard were six passengers, two pilots, and one cabin crew member. All occupants evacuated safely. The cabin crew sustained minor injuries; no other injuries were reported. The accident was reported to the Accident Investigation Coordinating Committee at 07:56 hours.
The aircraft was substantially damaged. Examination of the wreckage revealed extensive damage, including: left wing main attachment broken and rear spar detached; left wing aft of main spar bent and crushed; shroud and top skin dented and cracked; all cables routed through the left wing broken; left wing outboard crushed and cracked open; hinge arms bent and sheared; wiring and generator feeder cables broken; left engine bleed air line sheared; fuselage damage near the number six window and near the wing flap rod cutout; wing root panel and float damage (not fully detailed). The left wing with engine and strut was found separated from the main wreckage.
Investigation
The Accident Investigation Coordinating Committee (AICC) of Maldives, assisted by the Maldives Civil Aviation Authority, Maldives Airports Company Limited, and Manta Air, commenced an investigation. No probable cause has been stated in the preliminary report.