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| Date: | Thursday 6 February 2025 |
| Time: | 10:28 |
| Type: |  Viking DHC-6-400 Twin Otter |
| Owner/operator: | Tropicair |
| Registration: | P2-AXL |
| MSN: | 895 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2013 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3581 hours |
| Cycles: | 3703 flights |
| Engine model: | PWC PT6A-34 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 10 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Kerema Airport (KMA/AYKM) -
 Papua New Guinea
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi |
| Departure airport: | Purari |
| Kerema Airport (KMA/AYKM) | |
| Investigating agency: | AIC PNG |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A Viking DHC-6-400 Twin Otter suffered a runway excursion after landing on runway 14 at Kerema Airstrip, rolled into a drainage ditch which runs along the left side of the runway and impacted the embankment.
The flight was transporting eight Total Energy workers returning from Purari.
During the landing roll the aircraft continued to decelerate while tracking along the runway centerline. However, according to the PIC, when he attempted to apply the brakes to further reduce the aircraft's speed, it began to gradually drift to the right of the centerline.
Tyre markings identified by the onsite investigation showed that the nose wheel as well as the main landing wheels departed the runway, and the aircraft tracked on the grass surface along the runway edge. According to the PIC, asymmetric power was applied together with rudder input, to get the aircraft back onto the centerline. The aircraft subsequently turned back to the left towards the centerline.
The PIC stated that once back on the runway centreline the aircraft continued to veer further left of the centreline towards the left edge of RWY 14. Recorded data showed that the PIC applied full reverse thrust, however, the aircraft continued onto the grass surface past the runway edge and into an adjacent drainage ditch.
Causes [Contributing factors]:
The investigation identified certain factors that influenced or contributed to the runway excursion and subsequent impact with the drainage ditch.
The accident resulted from a combination of environmental and human factors, as well as procedural non-compliance.
The investigation determined that the decision to land on Runway 14 with a prevailing right cross-tailwind component, although within limits, increased landing complexity. While the tailwind component reduced during rollout, the persistent crosswind from the right introduced a weathercocking effect that adversely affected the aircraft’s directional control during the landing roll and continued to impose destabilising lateral forces, challenging the crew’s ability to maintain runway alignment.
Compounding the environmental factors was a breakdown in crew coordination and control input management. During the deceleration phase, the Pilot-in-Command (PIC) applied asymmetric thrust, while the co-pilot simultaneously initiated an abrupt full left rudder input.
These conflicting actions resulted in uncoordinated control forces and yaw oscillations, ultimately contributing to the aircraft’s drift off the runway centerline. The situation was further exacerbated by inadequate Crew Resource Management (CRM), evidenced by ineffective communication and a lack of clear control authority, which impaired situational awareness at a critical phase of the landing roll.
As the aircraft departed the paved surface, it encountered damp grass conditions, significantly reducing traction and braking effectiveness. The reduced friction on the damp grass surface, coupled with the aircraft’s existing yaw and momentum, rendered recovery attempts ineffective. This loss of control trajectory led to the aircraft skidding laterally until it impacted a drainage ditch. In an attempt to regain control and reposition the aircraft back onto the runway, the PIC applied additional thrust while on the unpaved surface. However, this action unintentionally increased the aircraft's ground speed and reduced its ability to decelerate, thereby contributing to the severity of the runway excursion and the subsequent impact.
The combined effect of adverse environmental conditions, uncoordinated control inputs, inadequate CRM, and inappropriate recovery actions collectively led to the runway excursion and substantial damage to the aircraft.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.postcourier.com.pg/strong-winds-causes-plane-into-ditch/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/139215886513324/permalink/2116571995444360/
https://aic.gov.pg/sites/default/files/2025-02/Media%20%20Releases%2006-2025_0.pdf
Location
Images:
Photo: AIC PNG
Figure: AIC PNG
Media:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 06-Feb-2025 06:59 | ASN | Added |
| 06-Feb-2025 07:03 | ASN | Updated [Total occupants, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative, ] |
| 06-Feb-2025 07:03 | ASN | Updated |
| 06-Feb-2025 08:19 | vasilf | Updated [Destination airport, Source, Damage, ] |
| 06-Feb-2025 08:23 | vasilf | Updated [Category, ] |
| 06-Feb-2025 09:26 | Petropavlovsk | Updated [Operator, ] |
| 08-Feb-2025 20:02 | ASN | Updated [Time, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 11-Feb-2025 07:49 | Petropavlovsk | Updated [Source, Damage, Narrative, ] |
| 11-Feb-2025 07:50 | ASN | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
| 11-Feb-2025 07:52 | ASN | Updated [Photo, ] |
| 07-Mar-2025 08:12 | ASN | Updated [Narrative, Accident report, ] |
| 23-Aug-2025 16:19 | ASN | Updated [Narrative, Accident report, ] |
| 23-Aug-2025 16:25 | ASN | Updated [Photo, ] |
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