Engine failure could have been behind the crash of the military Fokker
F-27 aircraft on Thursday, which claimed 11 lives, according to an
official.
Spokesman for the Indonesian Air Force, Air Commodore
Azman Yunus, did not deny on Friday speculation that the failure of one
of the Fokker’s two turboprop engines could have caused the incident.
“It is indeed a possibility,” he said, refusing to give more details.
Azman,
however, insisted that the aircraft, which was procured by the
Indonesian Air Force in 1977, had undergone regular checks and was
airworthy despite its age.
Eyewitnesses near the crash site
claimed that one of the Fokker’s engines was not working shortly before
it crashed into a neighborhood in the vicinity of the Halim
Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in East Jakarta on Thursday.
A
military officer, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the engine
could have intentionally been shut down as part of a routine
single-engine exercise.
Officials from the Indonesian Military
(TNI) previously said that the aircraft crew had been conducting a
touch-and-go exercise before the crash.
Like most other military aircraft, the Fokker was not equipped with flight data recording equipment, also known a “black box”.
Azman
said military investigators would go with other evidence, including
eyewitnesses’ accounts, radio communications, wreckage, and testimonies
of every individual involved in the flight.
“This explains why we
have not allowed unauthorized individuals to go near the crash site, so
that investigators have more room to work,” he said.
Azman said
investigations into the crash would be wrapped up after three months and
no results from the probe would be announced to the public.
The
National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT), which is not authorized
to probe incidents involving military aircraft, may also be asked for
help, he added.
Earlier on Thursday, Azman Yunus said the
turboprop Fokker F-27 aircraft was on a routine training mission at the
base before the incident.
He said the training mission had
included a local flight around the base, which included pattern,
downwind and final-approach maneuvers.
An eyewitness said that the aircraft was flying very low over the Rajawali housing complex before it crashed into the houses.
The
aircraft, with tail number A-2708, was part of the 2nd Squadron medium
transport, which was stationed at the base. The 2nd Squadron also has a
locally built CN-235 in its fleet.
Meanwhile early on Friday, one survivor from the crash passed away, increasing the death toll to 11 people.
The
victim, Ochi Tumba Belorundung, passed away at 2:45 a.m. after
receiving intensive care at the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Hospital.
“She
was the sister of Maj. Yohanis Tandi Sosang who lived at the Rajawali
housing complex in East Jakarta, where the accident took place,” Azman
said.
With his sister’s death, Yohanis lost four of his
relatives, including his mother, Martina Ro’ren Sosang (previously
reported as Yohanis’ wife), 60, his daughter (not his son as previously
reported) Abrian Kristianbel, 7, and his nephew (not his niece as
previously reported) who was also Ochi’s son, 2-year-old Nevli Tamen
Randuallo.
Thursday’s accident was not the first for the military, which has been working on modernizing its aging military equipment.
On
April 6, 2009, another Fokker F-27, with tail number A-2703, crashed
into a hangar when trying to land at an air base at Bandung’s Husein
Sastranegara International Airport during heavy rain, killing 24 people.
The TNI has said that it is in the process of procuring nine Airbus Military CN-295s to replace its obsolete Fokker F-27s.
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