De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter crash, Jan 7, 1997 (3 killed)
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter accident on January 7, 1997 near Apia-Fagali'i, Samoa Islands, Samoa Islands (Western Samoa) with 3 fatalities. Cause:...
- Date: January 7, 1997
- Aircraft: De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
- Location: Apia-Fagali'i, Samoa Islands, Samoa Islands (Western Samoa)
- Fatalities: 3
- Phase of flight: Approach and landing
- Cause: The captain continued toward Fagali'i in reduced visibility and cloud. Ground features were misidentified or the heading and altitude were inappropriate due to poor visual reference, and forward visibility was insufficient to avoid terrain.
A Polynesian Airlines DHC-6 Twin Otter on a scheduled flight from Pago Pago to Fagali'i flew by visual reference after an instrument approach to Faleolo. In low cloud and heavy rain it struck the western slopes of Mount Vaea near Apia. The captain and two passengers were killed; the first officer and one passenger survived.