Preliminary Reports
Brownout Cited in PNG Helicopter Accident, Bell 407, Sept. 22, 2023, Madang, Papua New Guinea
“Dense dust” blown into the cabin as the helicopter entered a five-foot hover over a soccer field caused the pilot to lose visual contact with the ground, according to a preliminary report issued by Papua New Guinea’s Accident Investigation Commission (AIC). All four passengers suffered serious injuries, and one person on the ground was killed when the aircraft drifted backwards and hit a tree. The pilot, loadmaster, and several locals reported minor injuries.
The AIC reported that the pilot of the charter flight from the Sengapi Airstrip was a PNG native with 11,600 hours of flight experience but unfamiliar with the area. The helicopter’s GPS did not contain coordinates for their destination, so he used the nearest available fix and relied on a passenger to aid him in navigation. After crossing the airstrip, he made a shallow approach to the soccer field where villagers were waiting.
More In Accidents
