Airlines PNG Flight 4684
Encyclopedia
Airlines PNG Flight 4684 was a passenger flight which crashed near Kokoda Airport
, Oro Province
, Papua New Guinea
on 11 August 2009, killing all eleven passengers and two crew.
The Airlines PNG aircraft, a de Havilland Twin Otter
, was travelling in bad weather, when it impacted terrain on the eastern slope of the Kokoda Gap about 11 km south-east of Kokoda
. Wreckage was discovered at 8.40am on 12 August 2009 at an altitude of 5500 feet (1676 metres) in the Owen Stanley Range
. The search was hampered by bad weather, low visibility and rough terrain. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces. There were no survivors.
Prior to the accident the crew were manoeuvring the aircraft within the Kokoda Gap, probably in an attempt to maintain visual flight in reported cloudy conditions. The investigation concluded that the accident was probably the result of controlled flight into terrain: that is, an otherwise airworthy aircraft was unintentionally flown into terrain, with little or no awareness by the crew of the impending collision.
, two tour guides (one Australian and one Papua New Guinean) from No Roads Expeditions tour company, and a Japanese tourist.
Kokoda Airport
Kokoda Airport is an airport in Kokoda, Papua New Guinea . The airfield was a focal point of the intense battle along the famous Kokoda trail, during the second World War...
, Oro Province
Oro Province
Oro Province, formerly Northern Province, is a coastal province of Papua New Guinea. The provincial capital is Popondetta. The province covers 22,800 km², and has 133,065 inhabitants ....
, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
on 11 August 2009, killing all eleven passengers and two crew.
The Airlines PNG aircraft, a de Havilland Twin Otter
De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
The DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...
, was travelling in bad weather, when it impacted terrain on the eastern slope of the Kokoda Gap about 11 km south-east of Kokoda
Kokoda
Kokoda is a station town in the Oro Province of Papua New Guinea. It is famous as the northern end of the Kokoda Track, site of the eponymous Kokoda Track campaign of World War II. In that campaign, it had strategic significance because it had the only airfield along the Track...
. Wreckage was discovered at 8.40am on 12 August 2009 at an altitude of 5500 feet (1676 metres) in the Owen Stanley Range
Owen Stanley Range
Owen Stanley Range is the south-eastern part of the central mountain-chain in Papua New Guinea. It was seen in 1849 by Captain Owen Stanley while surveying the south coast of Papua and named after him. Strictly, the eastern extremity of the range is Mount Victoria , which was climbed by Sir William...
. The search was hampered by bad weather, low visibility and rough terrain. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces. There were no survivors.
Prior to the accident the crew were manoeuvring the aircraft within the Kokoda Gap, probably in an attempt to maintain visual flight in reported cloudy conditions. The investigation concluded that the accident was probably the result of controlled flight into terrain: that is, an otherwise airworthy aircraft was unintentionally flown into terrain, with little or no awareness by the crew of the impending collision.
Passengers
The passengers included eight Australian tourists on their way to trek the Kokoda TrackKokoda Track
The Kokoda Trail or Track is a single-file foot thoroughfare that runs overland — in a straight line — through the Owen Stanley Range in Papua New Guinea...
, two tour guides (one Australian and one Papua New Guinean) from No Roads Expeditions tour company, and a Japanese tourist.