De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter crash, Aug 9, 2007 (20 killed)
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter accident on August 9, 2007 near Moorea, Tahiti, French Polynesia with 20 fatalities. Cause: Loss of pitch control at low...
- Date: August 9, 2007
- Aircraft: De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
- Location: Moorea, Tahiti, French Polynesia
- Fatalities: 20
- Phase of flight: Takeoff and climb
- Cause: Loss of pitch control at low height after the elevator pitch-up control cable failed. The BEA identified a chain of cable wear at a guide, damage from jet blast, and final failure under flight loads, with contributing gaps in pilot training, special inspections and risk assessment.
Air Moorea flight QE1121 took off from Moorea for Tahiti with 19 passengers and a pilot. Shortly after takeoff, with the flaps being retracted at low height, the aircraft lost pitch control and struck the sea, and all 20 occupants died. The BEA found that the elevator pitch-up cable had failed after wear at a cable guide and damage from jet blast.