Britten-Norman Islander crash, Dec 19, 2008 (1 killed), E...
Britten-Norman Islander accident on December 19, 2008 near Espiritu Santo Island, Vanuatu with 1 fatality. Cause: The aircraft was overloaded and...
- Date: December 19, 2008
- Aircraft: Britten-Norman Islander
- Location: Espiritu Santo Island, Vanuatu
- Fatalities: 1
- Phase of flight: En route
- Cause: The aircraft was overloaded and lacked height margin to clear the ridge, and the pilot had not approached it from a direction that gave him an escape route. Poor seat belt configuration may have contributed to one passenger death.
An Air Vanuatu Islander on a scheduled flight was overloaded after an extra leg was added at the last minute, with the fuel weight left off the load sheet. The pilot flew low toward a ridge, the aircraft stalled and hit trees and bush on a mountainside, and the pilot died. Some passengers later walked away from the wreck, and one passenger died of injuries later.