Flight History
On Saturday, 9 August 2008, a Pilatus Porter PC-6 B2-H4 aircraft, registered PK-RCZ, operated by the Association of Mission Aviation (AMA), departed Wamena, Papua, at 1000 UTC on a charter flight to Taive II, Papua. The purpose was to pick up a medical patient. After landing and unloading cargo at Taive II, the aircraft departed at 1106 UTC for NduNdu, Papua, with an estimated time of arrival of 1113. The flight was to be conducted under visual flight rules (VFR), remaining clear of cloud and navigating visually.
Search and Wreckage
When the aircraft had not arrived by 1213 UTC, Wamena authorities initiated a search. Three operators assisted: AMA, Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), and Yajasi. All reported hearing PK-RCZ's emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal but were unable to reach the crash site due to weather conditions. At 2020 UTC (0520 local time on Sunday, 10 August), the wreckage was found at an elevation of 6,400 feet at coordinates 03° 26’ 08” S, 138° 21’ 58” E, in the area of NduNdu Pass, on the aircraft's planned track. The crash site was about 200 feet to the left (east) of the southerly track across the pass, on the slope of an 11,000-foot mountain. The lowest point in NduNdu Pass was at coordinates 03° 26’ 26” S, 138° 21’ 22” E and elevation 5,700 feet. The pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause stated: "The pilot continued the flight into cloud and did not initiate action to maintain visual flight conditions. The sector of the flight across the mountain pass was not conducted in conformance with the visual flight rules, and the pilot did not ensure that the aircraft remained clear of the terrain."