Pilot error in crash?

Press, 13 June 1979, Page 11

Pilot error in crash?

PA Wellington The crash of a twinengine Cessna plane near Mount Vaaifetu, Western Samoa, in April last year with the loss of 10 lives was probably caused by the pilot’s attempted visual approach over mountainous terrain without first obtaining sufficient information to ensure adequate altitude according to the official report on the crash.

In the report, the Cheif Inspector of Air Accidents (Mr R. Chippindale) said that the flight from Pago Pago to Feleolo had been delayed briefly by the reluctance of a mother of a child passenger to board the aircraft. The weather forecast had been for moderate southerly winds and fine weather. Moonrise had

been due about two hours after take-off. The plane had crashed in isolated jungle on one of the island’s highest peaks, which it had struck at 3200 ft. The inquiry had shown that although take-off weight might have been over the maximum, there had been nothing to indicate that that had contributed to the accident. The owners’ operations manual had not detailed procedures for visual night approaches into Faleolo. The crash had not been survivable with the present restraint systems required for passengers in civilian aircraft.

Some of the occupants might have survived had they been restrained in their seats within the

fuselage but the large pulse of deceleration which would have been experienced when the aircraft nose section hit a clay bank had almost certainly exceeded the maximum ultimate load factor which the seat and seatbelt attachments were required to withstand in accordance with the United States civil air regulations.' The probable cause of the accident was that the pilot had attempted a visual approach over mountainous terrain without obtaining sufficient information to ensure adequate altitude. The excellent visibility and unlit terrain below his descent path might have led to the pilot’s experiencing an illusion that he had been closer to his

destination than had actually been the case and had induced him to start descending earlier than had been prudent.