- Date
- March 22, 1991, 00:20 local (04:20 UTC)
- Place
- Nuuuli, Antarctica
- Injuries
- 1 fatal; on the ground: 1 fatal
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- 5WFAUde Havilland DHC6-300
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 27149
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The inadequate lighting of the gate at the terminal and inadequate training of the security guard by company personnel. Contributing to this accident was a dark night condition.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The aircraft taxied to the gate after landing on a dark night. Although company instructions prescribes that a ground guide be assigned to direct the aircraft to the gate none were provided. The baggage handlers and security guard approached the aircraft as it stopped at the gate and the crew shut down the engines. Due to operational requirements the aircraft was positioned into the wind when the engines were shut down. The angle of the gate lighting placed the left side of the aircraft and the left spinning propeller in shadows. After the engines were shut down the captain opened the left cockpit door to egress the aircraft and saw the guard on the ground under the left propeller. The guard had been fatally injured by the spinning propeller.
Aircraft
- Registration
- 5WFAU
- Reported as
- de Havilland DHC6-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Engine
- P&W PT6A-27, 620 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 129
- Operator
- Polynesian Airlines
- Registered owner
- Polynesian Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- Apia, Wn Samoa
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- PPG · Pago Pago Intl
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Certificate
- Foreign
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,000 total · 2,600 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None