Date:	Wednesday 7 June 2023
Time:	15:10
Type:	Cessna U206G Stationair 6 II
Owner/operator:	Strickland Bosavi Foundation Ltd
Registration:	VH-MZL
MSN:	U20606661
Year of manufacture:	1982
Engine model:	Continental IO-520-F17B
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Dodomona Airstrip -   Papua New Guinea
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Dodomona Airstrip
Destination airport:	Mougulu Airstrip
Investigating agency:	AIC PNG
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The Cessna 206 aircraft, registered VH-MZL, was conducting a Private VFR flight from Dodomona Airstrip to Mougulu Airstrip, Western Province, Papua New Guinea, when during take-off roll, the aircraft ran off the edge of the runway and overturned into the sloping terrain.

CAUSES [CONTRIBUTING FACTORS]
The runway excursion accident was primarily caused by the pilot’s nominated Acceleration Check Point (ACP) just 5 m before an undulation, and the pilot's lack of situational awareness regarding prevailing wind and surface conditions. The ACP, nominated about a third of the runway length at Dodomona, was intended to assess the aircraft's acceleration. However, upon reaching the ACP and observing lower-than-expected acceleration, the pilot decided to abort take-off. The unexpected airborne event, caused by the undulation immediately after the ACP and high groundspeed due to tailwind resulted in the aircraft losing approximately 70 meters of runway critical for deceleration.

Further contributing to the accident was the pilot's misunderstanding of the prevailing wind conditions.
Despite perceiving the wind to be varying between 5-8 knots, the actual wind during take-off was stronger than anticipated. The pilot's reliance on a limp, unserviceable windsock, and failure to use nearby trees and grass to assess wind conditions, led to incorrect judgment. This lack of awareness about wind conditions significantly impacted the pilot's decision-making during the take-off roll.
Surface conditions also played a critical role in the accident. While the initial line-up and take-off area was dry and hard, the runway beyond the undulation was softer and more slippery, limiting brake effectiveness. With approximately 270 meters of runway remaining after the aircraft's wheels touched the ground again, the limited traction hindered deceleration efforts. The pilot's selection of an ACP without also choosing a Safe Abort Point (SAP) according to the Operator’s Standard Operating Procedures further exacerbated the situation, resulting in the runway excursion.

https://www.aic.gov.pg/news
https://www.casa.gov.au/search-centre/aircraft-register?search_api_fulltext=MZL



https://cdn.jetphotos.com/full/5/15316_1591658675.jpg (photo)

Ex P2-MAE, P2-HBP, N9787Z

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
13-Jun-2023 06:01	harro	Added
13-Jun-2023 08:53	RobertMB	Updated
13-Jun-2023 14:29	Captain Adam	Updated
29-Jun-2023 06:12	harro	Updated
06-Sep-2024 16:57	ASN	Updated [Accident report, ]
06-Sep-2024 17:15	ASN	Updated [Nature, Narrative, ]