Date:	Wednesday 4 October 2017
Time:	16:16
Type:	de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300
Owner/operator:	Maldivian
Registration:	8Q-ISB
MSN:	655
Year of manufacture:	1979
Total airframe hrs:	26314 hours
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 18
Aircraft damage:	Substantial, repaired
Category:	Accident
Location:	off Malé-Velana International Airport (MLE) -   Maldives
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Niyama Resort, Dhaalu atoll
Destination airport:	Malé-Velana International Airport (MLE/VRMM)
Investigating agency:	AICC Maldives
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
A de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter seaplane sustained substantial damage in a landing accident in the Hulhumalé Lagoon near Malé-Velana International Airport, Maldives. All occupants survived the accident.
The aircraft was flying tourists from the Niyama Resort, Dhaalu atoll, back to Malé. The captain taxied and did the take-off from Niyama because the winds were observed around 15kts, with rough sea conditions. After the aircraft was airborne, passing 1000 ft, the captain handed over the controls to the co-pilot to continue the rest of the flight to Velana International Airport.
As the aircraft approached Velana International Airport, both the captain and the co-pilot noticed inclement weather approaching from the west. According to the crew, at 300ft the aircraft was configured for landing with full flaps and propeller levers at the full forward position. Wind shield wipers were turned on due to the light rain. The visibility deteriorated when the aircraft approached to land. Right after the aircraft first contacted water, the visibility briefly dropped to near zero due to heavy rain.
The aircraft touched down in the intended landing area, on the left float first and bounced, then contacted the water a second time on the right float. The co-pilot reduced power by pulling the power levers back. At the same time, as stated by the captain, he placed his right hand on the power levers (over the co-pilot’s left hand) and pushed the power levers fully forward, applying full power with the intention of going around whilst calling "Max power". The captain neither announced that he was taking over control, nor called for flaps 10°, as per the procedures. There was no response from the co-pilot in handing over of controls to the captain. The aircraft banked sharply to the right, turning right and crashed. The aircraft finally flipped over and came to rest upside down, facing south and was partly submerged.
All passengers and crew evacuated safely through the right hand emergency exit, which was above the water.

Causes:
a. Improper recovery techniques from a bounced landing; application of go-around procedures whilst the aircraft was at low speed with flaps fully extended.
b. Breakdown of crew coordination during the attempted go-around.
c. Poor judgement of approaching inclement weather condition; crew decided to land, hoping that they could make it before the approaching storm strikes the landing area.

10:00 UTC / 15:00 local time:
VRMM 041000Z 25014KT 9999 SCT017 FEW018CB BKN270 30/25 Q1007 CB NW,NNW TEMPO 5000 -SHRA

11:00 UTC / 16:00 local time:
VRMM 041100Z 28013KT 9999 SCT017 FEW018CB BKN270 30/25 Q1007 CB NW NOSIG

12:00 UTC / 17:00 local time:
VRMM 041200Z 26014KT 9999 SCT017 FEW018CB BKN280 28/25 Q1008 RESHRA CB SE,S TEMPO 4000 SHRA

english.sun.mv

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

31 May 1997	9N-ABQ	Royal Nepal Airlines	0	Phaplu Airport (PPL)		sub
19 August 2002	9N-ABQ	Royal Nepal Airlines	0	Nepalganj Airport (KEP)		min
19 August 2012	9N-ABQ	Tara Air	0	Jomsom Airport (JMO)		min
Runway excursion
21 September 2012	9N-ABQ	Tara Air	0	Dolpa Airport (DOP)		sub
Runway excursion

photo (c) Flightradar24; Malé-Velana International Airport (MLE); 04 October 2017

Date/time	Contributor	Updates