A New Zealand co-pilot is the only survivor of a plane crash in Papua New Guinea yesterday.
Four other people died, including a New Zealander, as the Transair charter plane tried to land in bad weather on Misima Island in Milne Bay Province – and it's not the first time the charter company has crashed.
The New Zealand co-pilot was trying to land the Cessna citation jet in wet, windy weather when it overshot the runway and burst into flames.
The Kiwi survivor was thrown clear, but the others – including the second kiwi – died in the burning wreckage right in front of a group from the company there to meet them.
“Thirty percent of all aviation accidents are runway excursions; it's the biggest cause of aircraft accidents,” says aviation expert Geoffrey Thomas.
The New Zealand survivor, now based full time in Australia, is in a Papua New Guinea hospital.
“The survivor is a New Zealand citizen who has been badly bruised. I'm advised her has a broken leg,” says Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith.
The dead New Zealander hasn't been named.
“We of course extend our sympathy and condolences to New Zealand and the family of the deceased New Zealand citizen,” Mr Smith says.
Among the dead is the plane's pilot and owner, Les Wright. He and his company have a deadly past, when a Fairchild Metroliner aircraft crashed killing 15 in Queensland five years ago.
Locals had complained the planes were unsafe and some hoped they would never be airborne again and the planes were stopped temporarily last year by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Today the Australian Government refused to be drawn.
“I'm not proposing to make any link between separate plane crashes,” Mr Smith says.
New Zealand and Australian officials are now in the remote region of this latest crash, working with the airline company and local authorities.
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