Pago Pago

The twin engine airplane departed Sunshine Coast-Caloundra Airport at 0733LT on a flight to Pago Pago, US Samoa, with two people on board. About 45 minutes into the flight, while cruising at an approximate altitude of 12,000 feet, the pilot inform ATC about an engine failure and elected to return to Sunshine Coast. He made a 180 turn and reduced his altitude. About 45 minutes later, unable to reach his departure airport, the pilot ditched the airplane some 30 nautical miles east of Sunshine Coast. Both occupants found refuge in a dinghy and were quickly rescued. The airplane sank and was lost.

At about 1038 hours on Tuesday 7 January 1997, Polynesian Airlines’ DHC-6 (Twin Otter) 5W FAU collided with the western slopes of Mt Vaea, Apia, in conditions of low cloud and heavy rain. The aeroplane was on a scheduled flight from Pago Pago to Fagali’i, and was being flown to Fagali’i by visual reference after having made an instrument approach to Faleolo. The captain and two passengers lost their lives in the accident. The first officer and one passenger survived.

During cruise flight, the right engine suddenly lost oil pressure. The pilot could see that oil was coming out of the engine area. The pilot shut the engine down. Due to high gross weight, the airplane was unable to maintain altitude on the remaining engine. The airplane was ditched in the ocean and not recovered. The pilot was rescued a day later.

The captain, who was flying the Twin Otter from the right seat, entered a right hand traffic pattern for landing. A left quartering, 15 knot headwind, was gusting across the airport. Upon turning to the final approach the captain reduced the aircraft's engine power to the low speed range for the visual approach. As the aircraft neared the runway the rate of descent accelerated. The captain's application of full engine power failed to arrest the aircraft's rate of descent and the aircraft impacted the ground short of the runway. All 16 occupants were injured.

The aircraft crash landed after the pilot used flaps and power to semi control pitch after the elevator down control cable failed at about 300 feet agl on final approach. The left wing of the aircraft hit the terminal roof during the stall mush from 50 feet agl. The company is changing their aircraft control cables from steel to stainless steel to aid in the anti-corrosion and modifying their inspection period from 800 to 100 hours between inspections. The cable that separated failed from corrosion. No evidence of fatigue cracking or mechanical wear was found. Corrosion products were found within 2 inches of the serapation on both cable pieces.

While approaching Pago Pago on a flight from Honolulu, the pilot reported problems with fuel transfer. Shortly later, the airplane crashed into the ocean about 40-45 miles north of Pago Pago. The aircraft sank and the pilot was killed.

The airplane was taking part in Samoa's Flag Day celebration. It was dropping skydivers near the reviewing area. During the second run, the airplane clipped a mile-long tramway line running across Pago Pago Harbor to Mount Alava. Part of the wing separated and the airplane crashed in flames into an area in front of the two-storey Rainmaker Hotel. All six occupants as well as two people on the ground were killed.

On final approach to Tau Airport, the copilot failed to call out low airspeed. Following an improper level off, the airplane bounced on landing then veered off runway and collided with trees. All 18 occupants were rescued, among them one passenger was seriously injured.

On approach to Apia-Fagali'l Airport, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea few km offshore. All 10 occupants were killed.

The pilot was completing a ferry flight from Pago Pago to Honolulu. While approaching Hawaii Island, both engines failed. The pilot reduced his altitude and attempted to ditch the aircraft that crashed about 28 NM southwest of Kauna Point. The pilot was seriously injured and the aircraft was lost.