Nose gear fails on Forum Fishing Agency King Air B200

By Andrew Curran.

The nose gear of a King Air B200 operated by the Technology Service Corporation on behalf of the Forum Fisheries Agency collapsed on or after landing at Nukuʻalofa’s Fuaʻamotu Airport (TBU) on April 24, 2026. No injuries were reported.

The Matangi Tonga news outlet has published an image of the aircraft parked to the side of the runway and supported by a dolly. The registration and identification markings have been deliberately covered with tape.

Arlington, Virginia-based Technology Service Corporation operates two King Air B200 aircraft for the Forum Fisheries Agency. They are N280RA (msn BB53) and N625BW (msn BB1090).

Aero South Pacific understands that the aircraft involved in the incident is N625BW, although this has not been officially confirmed. The King Air had been conducting maritime surveillance operations for the Government of Tonga.

Details of the incident remain limited, and it is not yet confirmed whether the aircraft landed without its nose gear down or whether the gear collapsed after touchdown.

However, the visible damage in the available imagery suggests the nose gear may have collapsed after landing.

Tongan authorities mute on incident

Aviation safety oversight in Tonga falls under the Tonga Civil Aviation Division, part of the Ministry of Infrastructure. The ministry, which is usually active on social media, has been mute on the incident. The Civil Aviation Division has a minimal online presence.

The Forum Fisheries Agency is an intergovernmental body funded in part by the Australian Government. It comprises 17 member nations across the South Pacific. The agency supports the management of sustainable offshore fisheries within member states’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zones.

Part of this work includes an aerial surveillance programme launched in 2017. Under the contract in place, Technology Service Corporation provides 1,440 flying hours annually, with aircraft deployed in response to requests from member nations.

Photo: AI-Generated.

Contact the writer: andrew@aerosouthpacific.com