Dash 8 down in Papua New Guinea.

[iflyforpie]

Many feared dead in PNG plane crash
(AFP) – 3 hours ago
SYDNEY — A passenger plane carrying 32 people crashed near the Papua New Guinea coast, officials said Thursday, with witness reports saying only four people on board had survived.

The Airlines PNG Dash-8 was flying from the mountain gateway city of Lae to coastal Madang when it crashed around 5pm local time (0800 GMT), killing a number on board, the Australian Accident Investigation Commission said.

"There has been an aircraft accident here involving Airlines of Papua New Guinea," AIC investigator Sid O'Toole told AFP.

O'Toole was unable to confirm the number of casualties, but witnesses told local media only four on board had survived
"There were 32 people on board and there are some survivors and some fatalities," he said.

O'Toole said there had been "adverse weather around the area at the time" but could not confirm witness reports of a violent and sudden storm ahead of the crash, 20 kilometres south of Madang near the mouth of the Gogol river.

Most on board were believed to be the families of local university students travelling to a weekend graduation ceremony, according to media reports, which also cited witnesses seeing flames.

"It was hard to get there. Very dense," local firefighter Joe Dunar told the AAP news agency.

The inland site, reportedly in dense forest, had been secured by police and ambulances had arrived on the scene, with local emergency authorities and hospitals on standby, O'Toole said.

A crash investigator was already on the ground in Medang and Australian transport accident officials had also been contacted for assistance, he added.

More than 20 planes have crashed since 2000 in Papua New Guinea, whose rugged terrain and lack of internal connecting roads make air travel crucial for its six million citizens.

A 20-seat Twin Otter crashed in August 2009, killing nine Australians and one Japanese tourist on the short journey from Port Moresby to the popular Kokoda trekking site.

That accident -- in which an aircraft ploughed into a mountainside -- also involved an Airlines PNG plane, with a subsequent report ruling pilot error was likely at fault in conditions of poor visibility.

PNG has since introduced legislation requiring all aircraft carrying more than nine people to have a cockpit recorder installed.

The impoverished South Pacific nation has only had an air accident commission since 2008, established in response to claims that corruption and a lack of funding had led to a sharp decline in safety standards.

Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved. More »

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[goldeneagle]

reports of contaminated fuel

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/wo ... 6167131555

[Just another canuck]

I've flown in Papua... every day is a risk. Although I had fun and the country was amazing, I have no desire to ever fly there again. Fully loaded Caravan... 2000 foot runway... 7000 feet altitude... hot as hell... Twin Otter off the end of the runway 1000 feet down a cliff. Dash 8 down... could have been a number of things. Sad day... but Papua is among the most extreme mountain flying you can imagine, IMHO. Only an experienced Porter pilot belongs in most runways that exist there.

[kilpicki]

Did you see any Turbo Beavers there? This is in reference to another thread PC-6 vs DHC-2MK11

[Just another canuck]

Did you see any Turbo Beavers there? This is in reference to another thread PC-6 vs DHC-2MK11

No Turbo Beavers in Papua... Porters, Cessnas and Twin Otters make up the bulk of anything flying around the mountains there. There's a lot of downed planes in those mountains and they almost never get recovered... constant reminders to all that fly there.

[Mr. North]

+1 PNG is an incredible country. The flying there is quite challenging and in the most unforgiving environments. It was also the most rewarding experience I've ever had. I will never forget my time flying down there.