21 Oct 2014

Initial report on PNG plane crash released

3:31 pm on 21 October 2014

An initial report on last month's fatal plane crash in Papua New Guinea says the pilot requested an alternate landing arrangement after losing visibility, but it may have been too late.

The PNG Accident Investigation Commission says the pilot in command was told to proceed to landing, after he requested use of the radio-controlled Instrument Landing System.

The plane crashed near Mt Lawes, killing both the pilot and co-pilot and a passenger on impact.

Another passenger died a day later, and there were five survivors.

The head investigator into the incident, Thomas Kapai, says devices have been retrieved and will be analysed to find out whether communication on an alternate landing could have been made earlier.

"We need to get information from the CRV and cockpit video camera and also the automatic data system that needs to be transcribed and analysed. Those are the main ones to be investigated before we can actually get a picture of what really happened."

Papua New Guinea's Southern Highlands.

Papua New Guinea's Southern Highlands. Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades