Description

On 4 August 2017, a de Havilland DHC8-200 (P2-ANK) being operated by Air Niugini subsidiary Link PNG on a scheduled passenger flight from Port Moresby to Tari as flight PX 713 was en route and climbing through 20,000 feet in day VMC when there was what was described as a loud bang and the aircraft shuddered. They were initially uncertain of the origin of this but having observed that indications for both engines were normal, they then saw that an unsafe left main gear door caution had appeared and had been confirmed open by the cabin crew. The decision to return to Port Moresby was advised to ATC with the qualification that a normal approach and landing was expected. Prior to the approach and an uneventful landing, the aircraft entered a holding pattern to reduce the aircraft weight to MLW. Only on the ground was it realised that panels were missing from the left engine exhaust nacelle and that the inner tyre on the left main gear was deflated and damaged and deduced that the tyre had exploded in flight.

Investigation

The event was reported to the Papua New Guinea Accident Investigation Commission (AIC) by Air Niugini the same day but they “did not reveal the full extent of aircraft damage”. Further enquiries by the AIC two days later established that the aircraft had sustained significant damage and that panels had been lost at sea and an Investigation was immediately commenced. Recorded data from the FDR and CVR were successfully downloaded.