‘We’re too low! We’re too low!’: Terrifying cockpit footage captures Boeing 737 ploughing into the sea 1,500ft from a runway as pilot error is blamed for the crash off Pacific island
- Air crash investigation has revealed the astonishing cockpit view of the crash
- Last September the Air Niugini jet ditched 1,500ft from a runaway in Micronesia
- Co-pilot frantically yelled at the captain: ‘Too low! We’re too low! We’re too low!’
- Investigation heard they ignored numerous automated warnings in the descent
Terrifying new cockpit footage has captured the moment a Boeing 737 ploughed into the Pacific Ocean after its frantic pilot yelled ‘we’re too low!’.
The video emerged yesterday during an air crash investigation after the Air Niugini jet ditched 1,500ft from a runway in Micronesia last September.
One man died and another nine were injured. The investigation in Papua New Guinea has found the pilots ignored numerous ‘pull up’ warning lights on descent.
Moments before the footage cuts out, the Australian co-pilot shrieked at the Papua New Guinean captain, ‘Too low! We’re too low! We’re too low!’
Warning lights and alarms go off as the jet smashes into the water.
The video emerged yesterday during an air crash investigation after the Air Niugini jet ditched 1,500ft from a runway in Micronesia last September
A screen-grab from cockpit (bottom right) and diagnostics during the flight as the co-pilot yells: ‘Too low! We’re too low! We’re too low!’
One man died and nine other passengers were injured when an Air Niugini Boeing 737-800 sank in a Pacific lagoon last year
Local fishing boats move in to recover the passengers and crew of Air Niugini flight
The Boeing 737-800 is not to be confused with the notorious Boeing 737 MAX 8 which has been grounded around the world over safety fears.
The 737-800 is the third generation of the Boeing series, while the MAX 8 is the latest and fourth generation and presents different technologies.
A Papua New Guinea Accident Investigation Commission (AIC) report into the September 28 crash found the pilot and co-pilot ignored numerous automated warnings while approaching the runway.
It said the pair missed ‘pull up’ warning lights and continued the landing attempt at Chuuk International Airport, even after bad weather made them lose sight of the runway.
‘Both pilots were fixated on cues associated with control inputs for the landing approach, and subsequently were not situationally aware,’ AIC chief commissioner Hubert Namani said.
A transcript revealed the dramatic final seconds in the cockpit before the crash.
‘(The) co-pilot called rapidly with high intonation: ‘Too low! We’re too low! We’re too low! We’re too low!” it said.
After the crash, with the plane half-submerged in the lagoon, 12 crew members and 34 passengers scrambled off the aircraft into the water.
Another screen-grab from the air crash investigation’s evidence showing the plane during its descent
Locals head to rescue passengers from the stricken Boeing 737-800 off the coast of Micronesia last September
One man died in the crash and the hulking jet sank after the rest of the passengers and crew swam off the plane
They were picked up by a flotilla of small boats operated by locals and US Navy divers who happened to be in the area.
The report said the man who died was not wearing a seat-belt and suffered blunt trauma injuries to his head, which probably killed him minutes after the crash.
It said Air Niugini had agreed to a number of changes, including increased training for crews flying to Chuuk and tighter restrictions on landing requirements at the airport.