What happened
On 7 May 2005, a Fairchild Aircraft Inc. SA227DC Metro 23, registered VH-TFU, was performing a scheduled passenger service for Transair. The flight was traveling from Bamaga to Cairns, with a planned stop at Lockhart River, Queensland. While executing an RNAV (GNSS) non-precision approach to runway 12, the aircraft struck a heavily forested ridge known as South Pap within the Iron Range National Park. The impact occurred roughly 11 km northwest of the Lockhart River aerodrome.
The aircraft, carrying two crew members and 13 passengers, was destroyed upon impact by the force of the collision and a subsequent intense fire fueled by the aircraft's fuel load. There were 15 fatalities and no survivors. At the time of the crash, weather conditions in the region were poor, requiring the crew to fly under instrument flight rules. The cloud base was estimated to be between 500 and 1,000 feet, which likely obscured the terrain located west of the airfield.
Findings
Investigation of the wreckage and flight data recorder revealed that the aircraft's engines and flight control systems were functioning normally throughout the descent and approach. The aircraft was properly configured for landing, with the landing gear deployed and flaps set to the half position. Data indicated that the crew was successfully following the intended instrument approach track. No distress calls or communications regarding mechanical issues were transmitted by the crew prior to the accident.
The accident is attributed to controlled flight into terrain, as the airworthy aircraft was flown into the ridge, likely without the crew realizing the proximity of the terrain due to the obscuring cloud cover.