Indonesian Boeing 737 Veers Off Runway at Wamena Airport

Yesterday it was reported that a Boeing 737-301 belonging to an Indonesian cargo company had suffered a “runway excursion” at Wamena, the largest town in the country’s Papua highlands. The freighter, which was operated by Jakarta-based Tri-MG Intra Asia Airlines, had arrived from Timika and reportedly veered off the runway on landing. A Tri MG Airlines official told FlightGlobal that the incident occurred around 11:50 local time on July 18th. The registration of the 737 involved in the incident was PK-YGG. According to FlightGlobal, the official said that “the crew felt heavy pressure on the aircraft while landing” before the plane veered off the runway. FlightGlobal wrote: “The aircraft’s attitude suggest that the entire undercarriage may have collapsed. In one image, the leftside landing gear has been torn backwards, the wheels lying next to the aircraft’s flaps. There is no evidence of fire.” Meanwhile, The Jakarta Post reported that “the left wheel and undercarriage of the aircraft had fallen off when the plane touched down.” All five people on the aircraft, including four crew and a passenger, survived the incident. No other injuries have been reported. The 29-year-old plane, which was carrying 15,000 kilograms of rice, mattresses and construction materials, reportedly left the runway at around 100 metres from its landing point and skidded for almost a kilometre, passing over a flooded ditch and hitting a wall. The same Boeing 737 aircraft was also reportedly involved in an incident last April when cargo was pushed to the back of the plane as it was being loaded at Wamena, causing the aircraft’s nose to rise several metres off the ground. Boeing 737-301 PK-YGG was delivered to Piedmont Airlines in 1988 and has been operated by Tri-MG Intra Asia Airlines since April 2012. Wamena Airport, which lies 6,200 ft above sea level and is surrounded by high mountains, is known for its unpredictable weather patterns.