Following the recent report released by the Accident Investigation Commission on the New Tribes Mission Aviation operated and owned Daher Kodiak 100 Incident, the New Tribes Mission Aviation (PNG) Limited (NTMA), responded with resolutions of ensuring operational improvement and safety.
New Tribes has indicated to the AIC that they would be:
• amending their operational and maintenance procedures to include pre-flight inspection requirements for pilots to conduct visual inspections of the exterior of the airframe to ensure security of inspection doors, panels and caps, and airframe rivets and fasteners.
• conducting a review of in-service maintenance standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure that maintenance supervisors are fully conversant with the explicit procedures and instructions in the NTMA Maintenance Organisation Manual, particularly with respect to on-site supervision.
The Minister for Transport & Civil Aviation, Walter Schnaubelt, commended this action.
“I commend aircraft operators and organizations that take swift safety action when safety deficiencies are identified,” he said.
The Serious Incident took place on the 27th of April last year, when the Daher Kodiak 100 Aircraft with two passengers onboard sustained structural damage in flight about 6 nautical miles (NM) Northeast of Hoskins Airport.
AIC found that four of the screws securing the leading edge of the fairing were missing while the nut-plate threads were unworn and undamaged. The twelve other screws were still secured to their nut-plates on the aircraft. The fairing had torn off from those fastening screws. The AIC determined that the four screws were either not fitted after maintenance or not securely fastened, in which case, vibrations and aerodynamic forces would have caused the screws to uncork during operation. Due to the high wing configuration of the aircraft, the status of the compromised fairing remained undetected from the ground by the personnel releasing the aircraft to service and flight crew performing pre-flight inspections.
“We must remember that the AIC’s investigations are solely for the purpose of improving aviation safety and not to apportion blame or liability.” The Minister for Transport & Civil Aviation reiterated.
