Accident description
Last updated: 20 June 2013
| Status: | Final |
| Date: | 21 JUL 1984 |
| Time: | 13:40 AST |
| Type: |  de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 |
| Operator: | South Pacific Island Airways - SPIA |
| Registration: | N43SP |
| C/n / msn: | 669 |
| First flight: | 1980 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 11 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 14 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Tau Airport (TAV) (American Samoa)
 |
| Phase: | Landing (LDG) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Pago Pago International Airport (PPG/NSTU), American Samoa |
| Tau Airport (TAV), American Samoa | |
| Flightnumber: | 513 |
While turning from base leg onto final approach the fight controls suddenly collapsed forward and the nose of the aircraft pitched up. The pilot tried to maintain control by using throttle and flap control. The Twin Otter then collided with the terminal building and a vehicle. It appeared that the elevator control cable was rusted and broken at Station 376 and the cable pulley in the area was also damaged. The cable hadn't been inspected for 725.9 hours, while inspection is required every 700 hours. The corrosion process was speeded up by the fact that the aircraft was operated in a high humidity and marine salt environment. The aircraft had also carried large amounts of salt pork and corned beef in the aft cargo compartment, directly above the corroded cable area.
PROBABLE CAUSE:
"Flight control system ,elevator control .. corroded
Flight control system ,elevator control .. failure, total" Sources:
» NTSB
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Pago Pago International Airport to Tau Airport as the crow flies is 129 km (81 miles).
Distance from Pago Pago International Airport to Tau Airport as the crow flies is 129 km (81 miles).
