Niugini F70 at Port Moresby on Feb 20th 2023, loss of cabin pressure

Last Update: March 22, 2023 / 17:10:57 GMT/Zulu time

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Incident Facts

Date of incident
Feb 20, 2023

Classification
Accident

Cause
Loss of cabin pressure

Airline
Air Niugini

Flight number
PX-188

Departure
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Destination
Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea

Aircraft Registration
P2-ANT

Aircraft Type
Fokker 70

ICAO Type Designator
F70

An Air Niugini Fokker 70, registration P2-ANT performing flight PX-188 from Port Moresby to Mount Hagen (Papua New Guinea) with 67 passengers and 4 crew, had been on approach to Mount Hagen but could not land in Mount Hagen due to weather conditions and returned to Port Moresby. The aircraft climbed to FL310 enroute but suffered the loss of cabin pressure. The aircraft performed a relatively normal approach to Port Moresby descending through 10,000 feet about 14 minutes after leaving FL310 and landed on runway 14L about 2:10 hours after departure. 4 passengers sustained serious, 18 passengers minor injuries.

Papua New Guinea's PIC reported they were informed about the occurrence only 2 days later and wrote: "On disembarking the aircraft at Jacksons Airport, a passenger of the occurrence flight alerted Air Niugini Customer Service that a few passengers from the flight were bleedingfrom the ears and nose. On assessing the injured passengers, Air Niugini Customer Service then activated a response plan and had the injured passengers transported to Pacific International Hospital for further medical assessment.It was reported that atotal of 22 persons were injured;7 persons had serious injuries and were admitted, 6 persons were under review, and 9 persons were discharged from the hospital." The AIC is investigating the accident.

On Mar 22nd 2023 PNG's AIC released their preliminary report summarizing the sequence of events:

The co-pilot, occupying the right seat, was pilot flying (PF), and the Pilot in Command (PIC) who was in the left seat was the pilot monitoring (PM).

The flight crew had decided to return to Jacksons after observing that the weather at Mt. Hagen Airport, the planned destination, was not suitable for an approach and landing.

The Flight Data Recorder (FDR) data showed that the aircraft had originally departed from Jacksons Airport at 14:07. The flight crew stated during interview that they arrived overhead Mt. Hagen Airport at 15:00. The flight crew reported that on approach for landing into Mt. Hagen Airport, they elected to maintain 8,000 feet (ft) above mean sea level (AMSL) and visually hold to the West of the Airfield over the Mount Hagen Township, due to the prevailing wind conditions in the circuit. The hold lasted for about eight minutes.

When interviewed, the flight crew stated that, given the local wind conditions observed in the circuit during the hold, a safe landing was not possible, and therefore a decision was made to return to Jacksons Airport. Recorded data showed that the aircraft climbed to a cruising altitude of 31,000 ft AMSL and began tracking back to Jacksons.

About 100 NM3 from Jacksons, the crew commenced their descent. The crew stated that a track deviation of 30 NM right of track was required to keep clear of enroute weather. Approaching 10,000 ft AMSL on descent into Jacksons Airport, the crew actioned the Fokker 70 Normal Procedures Before Approach Check. The flight crew stated during interview that they subsequently noticed that the Landing Elevation Setting4 had not been set for an arrival into Jacksons but was instead, still maintained at about 5,500 ft, which they initially set for Mt. Hagen Airport.

The crew stated in the interview that since there was a need to increase the rate of pressurizing the cabin on descent, the Fokker 70 Quick Reference Handbook (QRH) Abnormal Procedures for Manual Cabin Pressurization Control Procedure was executed, and they continued with the approach for landing into Jacksons Airport via the ILS5 procedure for Runway 14L.

The crew stated that once the aircraft was established on final approach for Runway 14L, the cabin pressure differential indicated about 6 PSI6. Seeing that the indication was above the maximum allowable cabin differential for landing (0.13 PSI), the crew terminated the approach and initiated a Go Around at about 16:00, from 1,000 ft AGL7 straight ahead over Runway 14L.

The aircraft climbed on runway heading to 2,500 ft AGL and requested, for clearance from ATC8 to conduct a right hand turn to track and visually hold at 2,500 ft in the Daugo Training Area (D901). ATC provided the clearance as requested by the crew.

The aircraft established at established at D901 at 16:06. The crew reportedly actioned the QRH Abnormal Procedure for “Reduced Cabin Pressure Differential Procedure”. The aircraft then left the hold at D901 and with ATC clearance, tracked for a right base turn at about 16:14. The crew reportedly conducted a normal approach and landed on Runway 14L at 16:20. The crew taxied to the parking bay where the engines were shut down. The engines were shut down at 17:17.

A normal disembarkation procedure was followed, and all passengers disembarked.

According to customer services duty officer’s statements provided to the AIC, four passengers were reported to have sustained serious injuries and 18 passengers sustained minor injuries. For all crew and the remaining 45 passengers, no injuries were reported.

The injuries were reported to have been sustained during flight operations Jacksons aerodrome area as a result of a sudden pressurization event.