Antonov AN-72 crash, Apr 21, 2002, Wamena
Antonov AN-72 accident on April 21, 2002 near Wamena, Special Region of Papua, Indonesia with no fatalities. Cause: Unstabilised visual approach at...
- Date: April 21, 2002
- Aircraft: Antonov AN-72
- Location: Wamena, Special Region of Papua, Indonesia
- Fatalities: 0
- Phase of flight: Approach and landing
- Cause: Unstabilised visual approach at excessive speed, followed by a hard, bouncing touchdown that broke the nose gear. Friction and leaking hydraulic fluid then ignited a fire, which was slow to be fought because the airport fire truck would not start.
A Trigana Air cargo charter flying an Antonov An-72 from Sentani to Wamena made a fast, unstabilised visual approach and touched down hard. The aircraft bounced several times, the nose gear failed, and hydraulic fluid leaking onto hot components started a fire in the forward cargo area. All four crew escaped, but the aircraft was badly burned and the cargo was lost.