Pago Pago Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Nuuuli Antarctica
Friday, March 22, 1991 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

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.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/22/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 20
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City NUUULI
Event State --
Event Country ANTARCTICA
Zipcode of the event site 96799
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PAGO PAGO INTL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PPG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 31
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 1
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 6009
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:32AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number 5WFAU
NTSB Number LAX91LA147
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 129: Foreign
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name de Havilland
Aircraft Model DHC6-300
Aircraft Series Identifier DHC6-300
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight 12500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 22
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name POLYNESIAN AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address APIA, WESTERN SOMOA
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name POLYNESIAN AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address APIA, WESTERN SOMOA
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City APIA, WN SAMOA
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Standing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 16 2001 12:37PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --