Samoa Airways aircraft still in ditch, retrieval to take months
By Andrew Curran.
A recovery team from Canada's Unity Aviation is flying to American Samoa to help retrieve a Samoa Airways DHC-6-300 Twin Otter that ran off the runway at Fitiuta Airport (FTI) late last month. Early reports suggest it could take up to three months to recover the aircraft.
Citing the airport's operator, the Port Administration of American Samoa (PAAS), the Samoa Observer says the "complex salvage operation" could take two to three months.
As reported by Aero South Pacific last week, the recently refurbished Samoa Airways Twin Otter, 5W-FAY (msn 690), suffered extensive damage after it continued beyond the runway threshold at Fitiuta in American Samoa on July 28 (local time) and crashed into a ditch.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) officials have completed their initial assessment and released the aircraft. It can now be recovered from its resting place in dense vegetation and returned to Apia (APW) for repairs.
A difficult and lengthy recovery
Part of the recovery challenge is Fitiuta's isolation. Fitiuta is on the north-east coast of Taʻū Island, part of the Manuʻa Islands group, around 150 kilometres from Tutuila, the main island of American Samoa. Much of the recovery equipment will have to be shipped from Pago Pago on Tutuila.
Samoa Airways, which is based in neighbouring Samoa but has cabotage exemptions allowing it to operate domestic services within American Samoa, is understood to be working with Unity Aviation on a recovery plan that includes establishing a recovery timeline, identifying the required equipment and determining the crane specifications.
Unity Aviation recently carried out the multimillion-dollar overhauls of two of Samoa Airways' Twin Otters. The second aircraft, which was involved in last week's runway excursion, was only returned to Samoa Airways in early July and resumed revenue flights on July 21 – just seven days before the incident. Unity is sending a multi person team down to help with the recovery effort.
Details of damage to Samoa Airways aircraft revealed
The NTSB has yet to publish details of the incident on its public database, and the circumstances surrounding the runway excursion remain unclear.
Initial reports suggested blustery conditions on approach to Fitiuta may have been a contributory factor. Those reports also said the Twin Otter veered off the runway centreline. However, video footage posted online appears to show the aircraft continuing beyond the end of the runway before entering a large, heavily vegetated ditch.
Five people, including two crew and three passengers, were on board the charter flight. One person sustained minor injuries.
The PAAS says preliminary assessments established that the aircraft's nose gear collapsed, the left main landing gear tyre was flat, and the propeller was damaged. Inspections of the 975-metre sealed runway found no debris or damage that may have contributed to the incident.
A Samoa Airways statement, issued through the Government of Samoa on the day of the incident, commended the professionalism of its two pilots. The airline said it would work with aviation authorities, airport officials and emergency services to support the investigation and provide assistance, but it has provided no further updates.
The PAAS has been more forthcoming, saying it will oversee the recovery of 5W-FAY from the ditch and its relocation to an airport apron, where a more detailed assessment will be undertaken before a decision is made on how and when to repatriate the aircraft to Apia.
Photos: Port Administration of American Samoa.
Contact the writer: andrew@aerosouthpacific.com