Country
Indonesia
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Special Region of West Papua

Crash of a Fokker F28 Fellowship 3000 in Sorong: 41 killed

Date & Time: Jul 1, 1993
Type of aircraft:
Fokker F28 Fellowship
Operator:
Registration:
PK-GFU
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Jakarta - Surabaya - Ujung Pandang - Ambon - Sorong
MSN:
11131
YOM:
1978
Flight number:
MZ724
Location:
Sorong-Jefman
Special Region of West Papua
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
39
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
41
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Ambon, the crew was cleared to descend to Sorong-Jefman Airport. On final, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to heavy rain falls and failed to realize his altitude was insufficient. On short final, the aircraft struck a promontory located 3,000 feet short of runway 22. Upon impact, the left main gear was torn off and the aircraft crashed in shallow water. Two passengers were rescued while 41 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
For unknown reasons, the crew continued the approach at an insufficient altitude until the aircraft impacted a promontory and crashed.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Bintuni: 22 killed

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1989
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
PK-NUE
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Manokwari - Bintuni
MSN:
345
YOM:
1972
Location:
Bintuni
Special Region of West Papua
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
22
Circumstances:
While approaching Bintuni Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when the aircraft struck a mountain located few km from the airfield. All 22 occupants were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 100 in Ilaga: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 25, 1987
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
PK-MAM
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Wamena – Ilaga
MSN:
76
YOM:
1967
Location:
Ilaga
Special Region of West Papua
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances while on approach to Ilaga Airport. Seven occupants were killed and 23 others were injured.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 400 on Misool Island

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1980
Type of aircraft:
Fokker F27 Friendship
Operator:
Registration:
PK-PFC
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
10339
YOM:
1967
Location:
Misool Island
Special Region of West Papua
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
16534
Aircraft flight cycles:
7567
Circumstances:
While on a cargo flight, the airplane ran out of fuel. The crew attempted an emergency in a jungle on Misool Island. All four crew members were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK off Kaimana

Date & Time: May 17, 1962
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
T-440
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
12097
YOM:
1943
Location:
Kaimana
Special Region of West Papua
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After dropping paratroopers near Kaimana, the aircraft was intercepted by a Royal Netherlands Navy (MLD) Neptune registered 207 and fires by 20 mm bullets. The crew elected to ditch the aircraft offshore. The aircraft sank and was lost while all seven crew members were rescued.
Probable cause:
Shot down.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-25-DK off Sorong

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1962
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
X-3
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Manokwari – Sorong
MSN:
15884/32632
YOM:
1945
Location:
Sorong-Jefman
Special Region of West Papua
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While descending to Sorong-Jefman Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with a cloud base at 500 feet. In such conditions, the crew was unable to locate the airport and decided to turn over the area to expect weather improvement. Due top fuel shortage and as the crew was unable to locate the airfield, the captain decided to ditch the aircraft east of the airport. All six crew members were rescued while the aircraft was lost.
Probable cause:
Ditching caused by fuel exhaustion due to poor weather conditions at destination.

Crash of a Martin PBM-5A Mariner off Fakfak: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Martin PBM Mariner
Operator:
Registration:
16-302
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Sorong - Sorong
Location:
Fakfak
Special Region of West Papua
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Following a maritime patrol flight from Sorong-Jefman Airport, the seaplane crashed into the Patipi Bay while trying to land off Fakfak. Five crew members were killed and three others were injured.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina near Babo: 10 killed

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
A24-49
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1199
Location:
Babo
Special Region of West Papua
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The aircraft christened 'Maggie' left Groote Eylandt Island, Australia, on a bombing mission to Manokwari. While cruising in the region of Babo, the seaplane crashed in unknown circumstances. No trace of the aircraft nor the 10 crew members was found.
Crew (11th Squadron):
P/O Warwick Neville Rose, pilot,
F/O Allan Roger Meakin, pilot,
F/S L. W. Stringer, navigator,
F/S Alexander John Hine, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/S James William Willesden, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/S J. B. Miller, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Alfred Harvey Brooks Wadham, flight engineer,
Sgt Herbert John Alexander Coates, flight engineer,
Sgt Philip Charles Carter, air gunner,
Sgt George Wise Whitley, air gunner.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-65-CO Liberator in Babo: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-40492
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1569
Location:
Babo
Special Region of West Papua
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a bombing mission in the Babo region when the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a Japanese fighter and crashed in a jungle. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The wreckage was eventually located in May 1972.
Crew:
S/Sgt Eugene H. Allen,
S/Sgt Charles R. Cross,
T/S Ronald A. Dardis,
2nd Lt Marcus I. Friedlander,
2nd Lt William F. Kahn,
S/Sgt Clyde E. Kallstrom,
1st Lt Francis G. McDowell,
S/Sgt Daniel S. Murphy,
2nd Lt Gilman F. Shelley,
S/Sgt Leonard J. Wozniak.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide in Babo

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1936
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide
Operator:
Nederlandse Nieuw Guinea Petroleum Maatschappij (NNGPM)
Registration:
PK-AKW
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Bandung - Babo
MSN:
6294
YOM:
1934
Location:
Babo
Special Region of West Papua
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following a survey flight from Bandung, the crew was approaching Babo Airfield when the twin engine aircraft crash landed and came to rest upside down. All three occupants, among them Captain Tideman, were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
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