Air Niugini Flight 73 Crash Animation • Papua New Guinea Accident Investigation Commission
Air Niugini Flight 73 Crash Animation • Papua New Guinea Accident Investigation Commission© PNG Accident Investigation Commission
The Papua New Guinea Accident Investigation Commission (AIC) was informed by Air Niugini Limited on 28 September 2018, of an accident involving a Boeing 737-8BK aircraft, registered P2-PXE, operated by Air Niugini Limited. The aircraft was on a scheduled passenger flight, number PX073, from Pohnpei to Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM).
At 23:24:19 UTC1 (09:24 local time) the aircraft impacted the water of the Chuuk Lagoon about 1,500 ft (460 m) short of the runway 04 threshold, during its final approach to land on runway 04 at Chuuk International Airport.
The AIC immediately contacted the Division of Civil Aviation, FSM and appointed an Accredited Representative and Adviser from the PNG Accident Investigation Commission in accordance with Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation. The AIC team arrived at Chuuk at 08:00 local time on 29 September, and immediately commenced interviewing surviving passengers and the crew under delegation of the FSM investigator in charge. The AIC played a pivotal role in the investigation and conducted the download, replay and analysis of Flight Data and Cockpit Voice recorder data and information in the AIC’s Flight Recorder Laboratory in Port Moresby, PNG. The US National Transportation Safety Board also appointed an Accredited Representative and Advisers from the US Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing. The NTSB team assisted with the download of data from the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System. The readout of the damaged AFIRS system was conducted by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.
On 14 February 2019, the FSM Government delegated the whole of the investigation to the PNG AIC in accordance with Para 5.1 of ICAO Annex 13, which obligates the State accepting the delegation to conduct the investigation including the issuance of the Final Report and the Accident and Serious Incident Reporting (ADREP) data.
This Final Aircraft Accident Investigation Report was produced by the AIC, PO Box 1709, Boroko 111, NCD, Papua New Guinea. It is publicly released by the Commission in accordance with Para 6.5 of ICAO Annex 13. The report is published on the AIC website: www.aic.gov.pg.
The report is based on the investigation carried out by the AIC in accordance with Papua New Guinea Civil Aviation Act 2000 (as amended), Chapter 31 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, and the PNG AIC Investigation Policy and Procedures Manual. It contains factual information, analysis of that information, findings and contributing (causal) factors, other factors, safety actions, and safety recommendations.
The sole objective of the investigation and the Final Report is the prevention of accidents and incidents, and thereby promote aviation safety. (Reference: ICAO Annex 13, Chapter 3, paragraph 3.1.). Readers are advised that in accordance with Section 219 of the Civil Aviation Act 2000 (as amended) and Annex 13, it is not the purpose of the Commission’s aircraft accident investigation to apportion blame or liability. Fact based statements in the report should not be interpreted as apportioning blame.
Consequently, AIC reports are confined to matters of safety significance and may be misleading if used for any other purpose. When the AIC makes recommendations as a result of its investigations or research, safety is its primary consideration.
Final Report
