What happened
On 19 January 2014, a PA-31-350 Piper Chieftain, registered PK-IWT, was performing a positioning flight for maintenance purposes. The aircraft, operated by PT. Intan Angkasa Air Service, departed Sentani Airport in Jayapura with a flight plan that included stops at Dumatubun Airport in Langgur for refueling, followed by Haluoleo Airport in Kendari.
During the initial leg of the journey, the aircraft was occupied by one pilot, two engineers, and one ground staff member. At approximately 0240 UTC, the pilot notified the Langgur Flight Information Service Officer (FISO) of the aircraft's position at 10,000 feet, roughly 85 nautical miles from the destination. The FISO reported active thunderstorms and rain in the area. As the aircraft descended through 5,000 feet, the pilot provided a further update regarding their proximity to the airport.
At 0318 UTC, the pilot requested to use runway 27, reporting a position 25 nautical miles from Langgur at an altitude of 2,500 feet. Following this, the FISO attempted to contact the aircraft at 0325 UTC but received no response. Shortly thereafter, at 0340 UTC, local residents informed the FISO that a crash had occurred. The wreckage was located approximately 1.6 nautical miles northeast of Langgur Airport. The impact and subsequent fire resulted in four fatalities and the total destruction of the aircraft.
Findings
Investigation efforts were significantly hindered by the fact that the aircraft was not equipped with flight recorders, and no radio communications between the pilot and ATC were recorded. Furthermore, there were no eyewitnesses to the flight's final moments. The wreckage, including the cockpit, sustained such extreme damage from the impact and fire that a detailed examination of certain components was impossible. Available investigative data was primarily limited to the analysis of the engines, propellers, and wing structures.