Scheduled Revenue Flight

After landing on runway 20 (1,760 meters long) at Mitú-Fabio Alberto León Bentley Airport, the aircraft encountered difficulties and was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran at a speed of 52 knots, went through a fence, lost its undercarriage and came to rest in a prairie some 163 metres further. All 41 occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was registered FAC-1173 (military) and HK-4536 (civil).

On 13 April 2010, a Boeing B737-300 aircraft registered PK-MDE was being operated by PT. Merpati Nusantara Airline as a scheduled passenger flight MZ 836, from Hasanuddin Airport, Makassar, Sulawesi to Rendani Airport, Manokwari, Papua. It made a transit stop at Domine Eduard Osok Airport, Sorong, Papua. The aircraft departed from Makassar at 2010 UTC and landed at Sorong at 2214 UTC. The scheduled departure time from Sorong was 2235, but due to heavy rain over Manokwari, the departure was delayed for about two hours. The pilot in command was the pilot flying, and the copilot, who also held a command rating on the aircraft, was the support/monitoring pilot. The aircraft subsequently departed Sorong 2 hours and 43 minutes later, at 0118. The observed weather report issued by Badan Meteorologi dan Geofisika (BMG) Manokwari for takeoff and landing at 0100 indicated that the weather was “continuous slight rain, horizontal visibility of 3 to 4 kilometers, cloud overcast cumulus-stratocumulus, westerly wind at 5 knots”. The aircraft’s dispatch release from Sorong indicated that the flight was planned under the Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). The destination, Manokwari, had no published instrument approach procedure. Terminal area operations, including approach and landing, were required to be conducted under the Visual Flight Rules (VFR). At 0146 the crew made the first direct contact with Rendani Radio and reported their position as 14 Nm from Manokwari, and maintaining altitude 10,500 feet. Following this radio contact, Rendani Radio informed the crew that the weather was continuous slight rain, visibility 3 kilometers, cloud overcast with cumulus stratocumulus at 1,400 feet, temperature 24 degrees Celsius, QNH 1012 hectopascals. The transcript of the Rendani Radio communications with the aircraft indicated that controller then instructed the crew to descend and joint right downwind for runway 35, and to report when overhead the airport. Shortly after, the crew reported overhead the airport at 5,000 feet. The controller then instructed the crew to report when they were on final approach for runway 35. The crew acknowledged this instruction. At 0154 the crew reported that they were on final for runway 35. The controller informed them that the wind was calm, runway condition was wet and clear. The crew read back the wind condition and that the runway was clear, but did not mention the wet runway condition. According to the Rendani Airport Administrator’s report to the investigation, the aircraft was observed to make a normal touchdown on the runway at about 0155, about 120 meters from the approach end of runway 35. The report stated that the aircraft’s engine reverser sound was not heard during landing roll. Witnesses on board the aircraft also stated that the aircraft made a smooth landing, and the engine reversers were not heard during the landing roll. During the landing roll, the aircraft veered to the left about 140 meters from the end of runway 35, then overran the departure end of runway 35. At about 0156 it came to a stop 205 meters beyond the end of the runway in a narrow river; the Rendani River. The Observed Weather Report issued by BMG Manokwari for takeoff and landing at 0200 (4 minutes after the accident) indicated that the weather was continuous moderate rain, with a horizontal visibility of 4 kilometers, cloud overcast cumulus stratocumulus, south-westerly wind at 5 knots. The airport rescue and fire fighting unit was immediately deployed to assist the post crash evacuation. Due to the steep terrain 155 meters from the end of runway 35, the rescuers had to turn back and use the airport’s main road to reach the aircraft. The accident site was in an area of shallow muddy water surrounded by mangrove vegetation. The aircraft was substantially damaged. Nearby residents, police and armed forces personnel assisted the evacuation from the aircraft. The Rendani Airport Administrator reported that the passengers and crew members were evacuated and moved from the site by 0230. They were taken to the Manokwari General Hospital, and Manokwari Naval Hospital for further medical treatment.

The airline transport pilot was taking off on a passenger flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. He reported that during takeoff the wind was reported from 290-300 degrees, at 15 knots, gusting to 27 knots. He chose to make an intersection takeoff on runway 25 at its intersection with runway 29, rather than use the full length of runway 29. He said his airspeed did not develop as quickly as he had anticipated, and that with his airspeed lagging and poor climb performance, he realized the airplane was not going to clear the ridge at the end of the runway. He said he initiated a right descending turn to maintain his airspeed, but impacted trees alongside the runway. He reported that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage when it impacted trees. He said there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.

After landing at Mwanza Airport, the crew encountered control problems. The aircraft deviated to the left then veered off runway. While contacting soft ground, the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft came to rest near a taxiway. All 80 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

On 11 February 2010, an Avions de Transport Regional ATR 42-300 aircraft, registered PK-YRP, was being operated by Trigana Air Service on a scheduled passenger service between Kalimarau Airport Berau (BEJ) and Samarinda (SRI) as flight TGN162. There were 52 persons on board; two pilots, one engineer, two flight attendants, one flight dispatcher and 46 passengers (43 adults, one child, and two infants). The aircraft departed from Berau at 0230 UTC1 and climbed to Flight Level 140. Balikpapan approach cleared the crew to track from en-route Way Point LOLOT direct to Samarinda. After transferring to Temindung Tower, Samarinda, the crew was cleared to track direct to left downwind for runway 04. The controller informed them that the wind was 060/12 knots. The crew did not report any abnormalities and the aircraft operation appeared to be normal. During the final approach for runway 04, the left ECU light illuminated followed by low oil pressure and torque indications. The Pilot in Command decided to go around, divert to Balikpapan, and carry out the QRH engine shut-down procedure. They commenced the climb to 4000 ft with the left engine inoperative. Approximately 16 Nm from Balikpapan Airport, while climbing through 3,800 feet, the right ECU light illuminated, immediately followed by low oil pressure and low torque indications. The right engine then failed. The crew broadcast a MAYDAY to Balikpapan Approach and decided to conduct a forced landing into a clear field in the Samboja area, about 16 Nm from the Balikpapan Airport. The PIC gave instructions to the Flight Attendant to prepare the passengers for an emergency landing. After the aircraft came to a stop the PIC initiated an evacuation.

Following an uneventful flight from Cabinda, the aircraft landed on runway 25 when all three gears collapsed. The aircraft slid on its belly for few dozen metres before coming to rest by taxiway Bravo. While all 37 occupants were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Following an uneventful flight from Belém, the crew started the descent to Senador José Porfirio-Wilma Rebelo Airport in marginal weather conditions. On approach, the crew noticed an elevation of the left engine turbine temperature. The captain reduced the power on both engines and elected to make an emergency landing when the aircraft stalled and crashed in an open field located 4 km short of runway. The captain and a passenger were killed. All eight other occupants were killed, three seriously. The aircraft was destroyed.

On 25 January 2010, at 00:41:30 UTC, Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 409, a Boeing 737-800 registered ET-ANB, crashed into the Mediterranean Sea about 5 NM South West of Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport (BRHIA), Beirut, Lebanon. ET 409 was being operated under the provisions of the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Regulations (ECAR) and as a scheduled international flight between BRHIA and Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) - Ethiopia. It departed Beirut with 90 persons on board: 2 flight crew (a Captain and a First Officer), 5 cabin crew, an IFSO and 82 regular passengers. The flight departed at night on an instrument flight plan. Low clouds, isolated cumulonimbus (CB) and thunderstorms were reported in the area. The flight was initially cleared by ATC on a LATEB 1 D departure then the clearance was changed before take-off to an “immediate right turn direct Chekka”. After take-off ATC (Tower) instructed ET 409 to turn right on a heading of 315°. ET 409 acknowledged and heading 315° was selected on the Mode Control Panel (MCP). As the aircraft was on a right turn, Control suggested to ET 409 to follow heading 270° “due to weather”. However, ET 409 continued right turn beyond the selected heading of 315° and Control immediately instructed them to “turn left now heading 270°”. ET 409 acknowledged, the crew selected 270° on the MCP and initiated a left turn. ET 409 continued the left turn beyond the instructed/selected heading of 270° despite several calls from ATC to turn right heading 270° and acknowledgment from the crew. ET 409 reached a southerly track before sharply turning left until it disappeared from the radar screen and crashed into the sea 4‟ 59” after the initiation of the take-off roll (4‟17” in the air). The aircraft impacted the water surface around 5 NM South West of BRHIA and all occupants were fatally injured. Search and Rescue (S&R) operations were immediately initiated. The DFDR and CVR were retrieved from the sea bed and were read, as per the Lebanese Government decision, at the BEA facility at Le Bourget, France. The recorders data revealed that ET 409 encountered during flight two stick shakers for a period of 27” and 26”. They also recorded 11 “Bank Angle” aural warnings at different times during the flight and an over-speed clacker towards the end of the flight. The maximum recorded AOA was 32°, maximum recorded bank angle was 118° left, maximum recorded speed was 407.5 knots, maximum recorded G load was 4.76 and maximum recorded nose down pitch value 63.1°. The DFDR recording stopped at 00:41:28 with the aircraft at 1291‟. The last radar screen recording was at 00:41:28 with the aircraft at 1300‟. The last CVR recording was a loud noise just prior to 00:41:30.

The three engine aircraft departed Abadan for a night flight to Mashhad. Due to poor weather conditions at destination, the crew diverted to Isfahan Airport. The aircraft departed Isfahan Airport at 0535LT bound to Mashhad. While on an ILS approach in thick fog, the aircraft was in a nose high attitude when the base of the empennage struck the runway surface and separated. On impact, the undercarriage were torn off. Out of control, the aircraft slid for few dozen metres, veered off runway and came to rest with both wings partially torn off, bursting into flames. At least 46 occupants were injured while the aircraft was partially destroyed by fire. Vertical visibility was 200 feet at the time of the accident due to fog.

Two crew took place in the cockpit to prepare the aircraft for a scheduled commercial service to Marsh Harbour. In unknown circumstances, all three landing gear retracted, causing the aircraft to fall on the ground. Both occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It is unknown if the retraction of the undercarriage was the consequence of a mechanical failure or a mishandling from the crew.