De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter crash, Jul 12, 1995 (15 killed)
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter accident on July 12, 1995 near Alotau, Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea with 15 fatalities. Cause: Fire and explosion after...
- Date: July 12, 1995
- Aircraft: De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
- Location: Alotau, Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea
- Fatalities: 15
- Phase of flight: Takeoff and climb
- Cause: Fire and explosion after takeoff, probably from faulty or aged electrical wiring at a terminal board, possibly ignited by leaking kerosene carried in passenger luggage.
Shortly after takeoff from Alotau, a Milne Bay Air Twin Otter caught fire and exploded, cutting electrical power. It went into an uncontrolled descent and crashed in shallow water about 2 km offshore, killing all fifteen people aboard. The ATSB linked the fire to electrical wiring and a leaking kerosene load carried in the aft hold.