Air Force Confirms Hercules Plane Airworthy Before Crashing

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Air force deputy chief Air Vice Marshal Hadiyan Sumintaatmadja said on Sunday that its C-130HS Hercules with registers numbered A-1334 from Australia that crashed in Wamena, Papua, that morning was airworthy.

"In terms of its airworthiness it is indeed airworthy. It still has 9000 flight hours left. It was all fine, airworthy," he said at a press conference at Halim Perdanakusuma air base in East Jakarta.

The aircraft was on a training mission to improve the capability of pilots.

In the training exercise this time a co-pilot was tested to become a captain pilot. Hadiyan said the co-pilot was tested to meet natural condition in Papua.

"The mission in Papua was a test mission. One of the tests is for the pilot to be able to fly aircraft wherever it is later," he said.

He predicted the crash happened because of weather condition although it could not as yet be confirmed.

He said regarding a flight incident there would be five factors that need to be investigated and analyzed namely man, material, media, mission and management.

"So, we may not rush to jump into a conclusion as analysis is needed to be done. We have sent an investigation team there. The chief of the Air Force Operations II Command himself would personally lead the evacuation in Wamena," he said.

Hercules A-1334 flown by Major Marlon A Kawer with 12 crew members and a passenger took off from Timika at 05.35 East Indonesia Time and was expected to arrive in Wamena at 06:13 EIT but at 06:09 EIT it lost contact.

Other crew members on board the plane include Captain J. Hotian F. Saragih, First Lieutenant Hanggo Fitradhi, First Lieutenant Fajar Prayogo, Chief Warrant Officer Lukman Hakim, Chief Warrant Officer Suyata, Chief Warrant Officer Khusen, Sargeant Major Khodori, Chief Warrant Officer Agung, Sergeant Major Fatoni, Second Sergeant Suyanto, Chief Warrant Officer Agung Tri.

"The other victim is a passenger who joined from Abdurrahman Saleh air base (in Malang, East Java) is Captain Rino from the Radar Unit 242 Tanjung Warari, Biak," he said.

He said the aircraft carried around 12 tons of cement to meet the official request from the Papua province. "The air forces plane involvement in shipment activity is to help development program in the region," he said.

ANTARA

Source: Air Force Confirms Hercules Plane Airworthy Before Crashing