Pioneer Plane Carrying 7 Passengers Burns in Papua, Pilot Killed

A pioneer aircraft operated by PT AMA with registration number PK-RCY caught fire in an incident suspected to be arson in Yahukimo Regency, Papua Pegunungan, resulting in the death of the pilot. The plane was carrying seven passengers, with Nicholas F. Goselin serving as the pilot. The aircraft initially departed from Wamena Airport in Jayawijaya Regency, Papua Pegunungan, at 06:30 WIT on Thursday. The Director General of Civil Aviation at the Ministry of Transportation, Lukman F. Laisa, confirmed the pilot’s death but did not detail the chronology of the tragic event or the exact cause of death, stating that investigations are ongoing. PT AMA, the Wamena Class I Airport Operator Unit, and related agencies are currently conducting an in-depth investigation and verifying the chronology to ascertain all facts on the ground. The plane was reportedly set on fire at the Balinggama Airstrip in Yahukimo on Thursday morning. The Cartenz Peace Operation Task Force confirmed the incident but said further details are still being investigated. The fate of the passengers remains unconfirmed.