B737-300 havarert i lagune i Mikronesia - Non-precision approach - BBC

Air Niugini plane comes down in Micronesia lagoon

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Image copyright James Yaingeluo

A passenger aircraft has come down in a lagoon off Chuuk International Airport in Micronesia after it overshot the runway, say airport officials.

Images circulating online showed the Air Niugini plane, from Papua New Guinea, sitting in shallow water just off the coast.

None of the 35 passengers and 12 crew onboard flight ANG73 suffered serious injuries.

The cause of the crash is unclear, but investigations are due to begin soon.

Image copyright Reuters

"The plane crashed in the lagoon, about 160 yards away from the runway," Chuuk airport manager Jimmy Emilio told the BBC.

"Right now we don't really know what happened. Investigations will start earliest tomorrow, but [for now], operations are starting again as usual in the airport."

Mr Emilio said all those onboard the Boeing 737-800 aircraft were taken to hospital for checks, saying he believed some suffered from "minor injuries".

The aircraft was flying from the island of Pohnpei in Micronesia to Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, stopping at Micronesia's Weno island on the way.

Accident: Niugini B738 at Chuuk on Sep 28th 2018, touched down in sea short of runway

An Air Niugini Boeing 737-800, registration P2-PXE performing flight PX-73 from Pohnpei to Chuuk (Micronesia) with 35 passengers and 12 crew, was on final approach to Chuuk's runway 04 in poor weather when the aircraft came too low and touched down into the sea and came to a stop about 150 meters left abeam of runway threshold. The aircraft was evacuated, all passengers and crew were able to leave the aircraft. One occupant is reported missing but was seen having boarded one of the boats, 4 people were taken to the local hospital with serious injuries, 4 people were also transported to the hospital with minor injuries, the other occupants remained uninjured. The airline confirmed the aircraft landed short of the runway in Chuuk at 10:10L (00:10Z) in heavy rain and reduced visibility. All 35 passengers and 12 crew were able to safely evacuate the aircraft. On Sep 29th 2018 the airline reported that although initial reports had indicated everybody had safely evacuated from the aircraft, one male passenger is missing. A search is underway.On Sep 30th 2018 the airline added that a search of the now submerged cabin verified nobody was on board anymore, eye witness accounts confirmed the passenger boarded one of the boats coming to rescue, authorities are now still looking for the whereabouts of the passenger. By Sep 30th 2018 4 passengers remain in hospital care, all others have been discharged already. The airport reported the aircraft was cleared to land on runway 04 but touched down short of the runway around about 09:30L (23:30Z Sep 27th). Passengers reported the aircraft was on final approach to Chuuk when they thought they had a hard touch down until they realized they had landed in the sea. The aircraft floated long enough for everybody to leave the aircraft and be rescued by locals in their boats. The local hospital reported they received 8 patients, 4 with serious and 4 with minor injuries. There were no fatalities. Four patients will need to be flown out for treatment of head injuries, spinal cord injuries and hip fractures. According to Micronesia's Civil Aviation Department Chuuk features a NDB/DME approach to runway 04 and RNAV (GPS) approaches to both runways (the related charts however are offline as of current as per link from their website, the links however permitted to conclude the charts were hosted at the FAA website at some time, we fetched the current charts - see below - from the FAA AIP site). No precision approaches are available. Runway 04/22 is 6006 feet/1831 meters long with a grooved asphalt surface. Both runways feature PAPI lights at 3 degrees glidepath to their left. Related NOTAM: A0047/18 NOTAMN Q) KZAK/QLPAS////// A) PTKK B) 1809280300 C) 1809300300 E) RWY 04 PAPI U/S Metars: PTKK 280250Z 21009KT 14SM -RA SCT012 OVC110 27/24 A2969 RMK RAB39 SLP055 60001 8/12/ T02670243 57015= PTKK 280150Z 18010KT 13SM SCT012CB BKN120 OVC280 26/25 A2971 RMK CB ALQDS MOV N SLP062 T02610250= PTKK 280051Z 18008KT 14SM SCT012CB BKN120 OVC280 27/26 A2972 RMK SHRAE20 CB ALQDS MOV N SLP066 T02670256= PTKK 280002Z VRB05KT 12SM -SHRA SCT010CB BKN110 OVC280 26/25 A2973 RMK CB ALQDS= PTKK 272340Z 04007KT 3SM SHRA BKN000 OVC008CB 26/25 A2973 RA BKN000 CB ALQDS MOV SW= PTKK 272250Z VRB05KT 14SM SCT012CB BKN120 OVC280 26/25 A2973 RMK CB ALQDS SLP071 T02610246= PTKK 272150Z VRB05KT 14SM SCT012CB BKN120 OVC280 26/25 A2971 RMK CB ALQDS SLP062 T02610246= PTKK 272055Z VRB04KT 14SM SCT012CB BKN120 OVC280 25/24 A2969 RMK CB ALQDS SLP055 60020 8/328 T02510241 55005= PTKK 271950Z VRB04KT 14SM SCT012CB BKN120 OVC280 25/24 A2969 RMK CB ALQDS SLP055 T02510241= PTKK 271850Z VRB04KT 14SM -SHRA SCT012CB BKN120 OVC280 25/24 A2970 RMK CB ALQDS SLP057 T02500241= P2-PXE floating in the waters at Chuuk (Photo: makereta komai):