Weight imbalance factor in PNG crash

6:39 pm on 20 February 2017

Papua New Guinea's Accident Investigation Commission says a weight imbalance was the major factor contributing to a fatal plane crash in Western Province last year.

Kiunga, Western Province, Papua New Guinea.

Kiunga, Western Province, Papua New Guinea. Photo: google maps

All 12 people on board died when the Britten Norman plane flying from Tekin to Kiunga crashed on approach to Kiunga Airport on April the 14th 2016.

The Accident Investigation Commission released its full report on the incident last week, finding that while the plane was within its weight limits, too much of the weight was behind the centre of gravity, causing the aircraft to pitch up and stall when the pilot extended the flaps.

The Commission also found several safety violations by both the pilot and the operator, Sunbird Aviation, including failing to update the plane's operations manual after rebalancing work undertaken in November 2015.

The pilot had failed to fill out weight and balance forms for the fatal flight.

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