2016 Indonesian Police PZL M28 Skytruck crash

On 3 December 2016, a PZL M28 Skytruck of the Indonesian National Police disappeared above the South China sea while approaching Hang Nadim Airport in Riau Islands. The aircraft was conducting a flight from Depati Amir Airport in Pangkal Pinang, the capital of Bangka Belitung province. The aircraft was carrying three pilots and ten passengers with no survivors on the aircraft.[1] A search and rescue team was assembled by the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency with assistance from Singapore.

2016 Indonesian Police PZL M28 Skytruck crash
A PZL M28 Skytruck of Poland, similar to the crashed aircraft.
Accident
Date3 December 2016 (2016-12-03)
SummaryUnder investigation
SiteNear Dabo Singkep, Lingga regency, Riau Islands, Indonesia
00°17′24″N 104°50′26″E
Aircraft
Aircraft typePZL M28 Skytruck
OperatorIndonesian National Police
RegistrationP-4201
Flight originDepati Amir Airport, Pangkal Pinang, Indonesia
DestinationHang Nadim Airport, Batam, Indonesia
Occupants13
Passengers10
Crew3
Fatalities13
Survivors0

Aircraft and crew

The aircraft involved was a PZL M28 Skytruck, registered in Indonesia as P-4201 and was manufactured in 2004. It had accumulated just over 2,500 flying hours.[2]

According to officials, the crew members were experienced with more than 2,000 hours flying time.[3]

Accident

The aircraft was transporting 13 people consisting of 10 passengers and 3 crew. All of them were members of the Indonesian National Police.[4]

The aircraft took off from Depati Amir Airport at 09:24 local time and was en route to Hang Nadim Airport in Batam, Riau Islands. The aircraft was expected to land in Batam at 10:58 local time.[5] While flying above the Senayang Sea, a technical issue occurred. Smoke was seen emitting from the aircraft's engine. Local fishermen who saw the crash stated that shortly after the first smoke came out from the engine, the aircraft nose-dived and plunged onto the sea.[6]

Search and rescue
Debris found by the search and rescue team during the operation

Immediately after the crash, debris began to float to the surface. At 12:30 local time, fishermen from Kijang recovered a blue piece of debris suspected from the aircraft. They also recovered several seats and personal belongings. Body parts were also found.[7] The fishermen stated that they found the debris around 40 nautical miles from Kijang, the seat capital of Tanjung Pinang.[8]

A search and rescue team was immediately assembled by the National Search and Rescue Agency.[9]

Tanjung Pinang's SAR team deployed two of its boats to search for the wreckage of the aircraft. The search was led by the Head of Riau Islands Regional Police.[10] Police had also deployed four boats in response to the crash. The Indonesian Navy also sent its ships in response to the crash, the KRI Cucut and the KRI Pattimura. Search team members stated that they had only found several personal belongings from the victims, including photos of the passengers of the aircraft.[11] The search and rescue effort was hampered by bad weather. The head of the operation Sam Budigusdian stated that the operation was stalled as no aircraft was allowed to fly due to the inclement weather. In addition, communications in the area were limited.[12]

Mutilated bodies and a full body were found near the crash site at 17:55 local time along with an oil slick at a depth of 24 meters.[13][14] The following day another three ships, from the Indonesian customs service, joined the operation.[15] The search and rescue operation became an international effort, as Singapore joined the operation with an aircraft and a helicopter.[16] Investigators from National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC) also joined the search. According to the head of the National Search and Rescue Agency, at least 300 personnel and 15 ships were involved in the search and rescue operation.[17]

The search area was widened to 200 square nautical miles. Officials stated that the search area was focused around Mantang and Kijang. The location of the detected oil slick on 3 December was pin pointed by officials. An analysis by officials revealed that the sea where the aircraft had crashed was shallow, at a depth of 23–32 meters.[18] Divers were deployed to join the operation. According to eyewitnesses, the aircraft dived and struck the water nose-first. Based on analysis on the debris, most debris found by the search and rescue team were parts of the front section of the aircraft. Officials stated that the front part of the aircraft may have been shattered during the impact. Officials added that they suspect that most bodies were trapped inside the submerged wreckage.[19]

Governor of Riau Islands Nurdin Basirun and high ranking commander Fahri joined the search and rescue operation.[20] Governor Nurdin Basirun later ordered fishermen to join the search and rescue effort, stating that "their eyes are more accurate". He asked fishermen to report to local authorities if they found any personal belongings or wreckage from the sea.[21]

The area that was focused during the search and rescue operation was an area between four islands, which were Pulau Pintar, Pulau Sebangka, Pulau Senayang and Pulau Menasak. Officials stated that the bodies of the missing passengers and the debris of the aircraft couldn't have been swept far away from the main wreckage as sea current and wind force around the area was not strong enough to swept the wreckage.[22] However, according to Soelistyo, the head of the National Search and Rescue Agency, though the main wreckage was located in Indonesia, the flight recorders could have been swept away to the Singaporean territory. He then asked the Singaporean Government for their cooperation in finding the recorders.[23]

The search was continued on 5 December 2016. By then four bodies had been found.[24] Commissioner Erlangga stated that the aircraft's tail was planned to be raised from the sea at 10:00 local time.[25] The 3-meter long piece of wreckage was found at a depth of 24 meters and was located at a coordinates of 0 17' 321" N 104 50' 518" E.[26] The search area was also widened and added for an additional 5 km, as the retrieved bodies had moved around 5 km from the main wreckage.[27]

Due to the discovery of several pieces of wreckage on 5 December, the Search and Rescue Agency focused on the salvage operation of the wreckage the following day. During the search, another body part was found by the searchers.[28] On the same day, the Disaster Victims Identification (DVI) team sent 7 DNA samples to Jakarta for further examination.[29]

On 12 December 2016, the search and rescue operation was officially ended, with rescuers managing to recover 50% of the aircraft's wreckage.[30][31][32]

Investigation

Eyewitnesses claimed that the aircraft's engine was emitting smoke or fire. The aircraft later nose-dived and exploded as it plunged onto the sea. According to local fishermen, the aircraft went down at 10:22. While the aircraft was nose-diving, eyewitnesses noted that the engine made an unusual sound. There was no explosion until the aircraft struck the water.[33] According to officials, the aircraft was airworthy and was in good condition at the time of the accident. The aircraft had been checked before the flight.[34] Commissioner Rikwanto stated that the aircraft was not equipped with flight recorders as it was not mandated to fit them, contrary to earlier reports in which the aircraft was equipped with recorders. Investigators would examine the air traffic control recordings from Singapore, Jakarta and Batam.[35]

Aftermath

A public outcry followed immediately after the crash, with social media users asking the President to immediately review every government-operated aircraft. Indonesian National Police said that an evaluation of the PZL M28 aircraft in its fleet would take place, as it had lost three aircraft of the same type.[36]

On 16 December 2016, after the crash of an Indonesian Air Force Lockheed C-130 Hercules in Wamena which killed 13 people, and in response to the massive public outcry and debate that followed, the head of the People's Representative Council announced that the government would review every government-operated aircraft.[37]

gollark: I'm sending you to the bee apiary apioid zone.
gollark: Did you know? Shingled magnetic recording LITERAL apioform.
gollark: Technically, it's oxidation.
gollark: ↑ rust
gollark: https://cdn.discordapp.com/emojis/793829131422793728.png

See also
  • List of accidents and incidents involving airliners in Indonesia

References
  1. hermes (4 December 2016). "Indonesian police plane crashes with 15 on board".
  2. "Sudah Terbang 2.514 Jam, Ini Riwayat Operasional Pesawat Polri yang Jatuh". Detik. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  3. "13 Korban Pesawat Polri yang Jatuh Hendak Rotasi Penugasan". Detik. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  4. "Kapolda: Tidak Ada Masyarakat Sipil Jadi Penumpang Pesawat Jatuh di Kepri". Detik. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  5. "Ini Pesawat Skytruck Milik Polri yang Jatuh di Kepri". Detik. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  6. "Pesawat Hendak ke Batam, di Atas Perairan Senayang Diduga Alami Masalah". Tribun News. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  7. "Bagian Pesawat Polri yang Jatuh di Kepri Ditemukan Warga". Detik. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  8. "Petugas Pelabuhan Senayang Bergerak ke Lokasi Pesawat Jatuh, Ini Koordinat Jatuhnya". Tribun News. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  9. "Bukan di Kijang, Kapolres Koreksi Pesawat Jatuh di Perairan Lingga". Tribun News. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  10. "Kapolda Kepri Pimpin Langsung Pencarian Korban Pesawat Jatuh". Tribun News. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  11. "Tim Gabungan Terjunkan Tujuh Kapal untuk Mencari Korban Pesawat Jatuh". Tribun News. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  12. "Evakuasi Pesawat Polri yang Jatuh Terkendala Cuaca Buruk". Detik. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  13. "3 Kantong Berisi Potongan Tubuh Korban Pesawat Polri Jatuh Dibawa ke RS". Detik. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  14. "Potongan Jasad Korban Ditemukan dan Langsung Dibawa ke RS Bhayangkara Batam". Tribun News. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  15. "Tiga Kapal Patroli DJBC Khusus Kepri Juga Dikerahkan Cari Para Korban". Tribun News. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  16. "Singapura Ikut Bantu Pencarian Pesawat Polri yang Jatuh di Kepri". Detik. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  17. "Kekuatan Pencarian Pesawat Polri yang Jatuh: 300 Personel dan 15 Kapal". Tribun News. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  18. "Tumpahan Minyak Ditemukan di Lokasi Pencarian Pesawat Polri yang Jatuh". Detik. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  19. "Pesawat Diduga Jatuh Menghujam ke Laut, Tim SAR Lakukan Penyelaman". Tribun News. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  20. "Gubernur-Danrem Kepri Turun Ikut Pencarian Korban, Ini Pertanyaan Nurdin Sebelum Berangkat!". Tribun News. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  21. "Mata Nelayan Lebih Tajam, Nurdin Minta Lapor Jika Temukan Benda Apapun Saat Melaut". Tribun News. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  22. "Proses Pencarian Korban Dipusatkan di Empat Pulau Ini, Alasannya Ini". Tribun News. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  23. "Kepala Basarnas: Kotak Hitam Pesawat Polri Diduga Jatuh di Wilayah Singapura". Tribun News. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  24. "Pencarian Korban Pesawat Polri yang Jatuh di Kepri Dilanjutkan Besok". Tribun News. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  25. "Ekor Pesawat Polri yang Jatuh di Kepri akan Dievakuasi Pagi Ini". Detik. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  26. "Badan Pesawat Polri yang Jatuh Ditemukan di Kedalaman 24 Meter di Bawah Laut". Detik. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  27. "Wilayah Pencarian Korban Pesawat Polri yang Jatuh Diperluas 5 Km". Detik. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  28. "Pencarian Korban Hari Ini Fokus Penyelaman, Ini Alasan Basarnas". Tribun News. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  29. "Tim DVI Polda Kirim Sampel DNA 7 Potongan Tubuh ke Jakarta, Ini Alasannya". Tribun News. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  30. "Breakingnews: Basarnas Hentikan Pencarian Korban, Operasi SAR Resmi Berakhir". Tribun News. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  31. "Tim SAR Ditarik ke Tanjungpinang, Puing Pesawat Dibawa ke Pelantar I". Tribun News. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  32. "Puing Pesawat Segera Dikirim ke Batam, Beratnya Tembus Belasan Kilogram". Tribun News. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  33. "Kapolri: Pesawat Itu Menukik dan Meledak di Laut". Tribun News. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  34. "Polri: Pesawat Skytruck Layak Terbang, Penyebab Jatuhnya Tunggu Kotak Hitam". Detik. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  35. "Polri akan Gunakan Rekaman Audio Selidiki Penyebab Pesawat Jatuh di Kepri". Detik. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  36. "Sudah Tiga Pesawat Skytruck yang Kecelakaan, Polri: Akan Ada Evaluasi". Detik. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  37. "Hercules Jatuh, Ketua MPR: Ini Pelajaran untuk Perbaharui Alutsista Kita". Detik. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.