Investigation Summary
The flight departed Syamsudin Noor International Airport at 15:30 local time for a scheduled 45-minute hop to Sampit. Approximately 60 seconds into the climb, the right engine suffered a malfunction. While the CASA C-212 is designed to be capable of flying on a single engine, the crew struggled with the resulting asymmetric thrust. A critical communication error occurred when the crew radioed the tower: they specifically reported an engine fire, but instead of identifying the failed engine, they mistakenly stated that the other engine was operating normally. As they maneuvered to return to Runway 10, the aircraft became increasingly unstable, exhibiting erratic rolling motions to the left and right. The aircraft eventually lost altitude and struck the rooftops of an oxygen and acetylene production facility located 2 to 3 kilometers from the runway. The impact and subsequent explosions at the gas plant killed 17 people instantly, while two others died later from their injuries. One passenger, 40-year-old Irianto, survived the crash with serious injuries.
Final Conclusions
The official investigation by the NTSC determined that the primary cause was the crew's loss of control following a right engine failure. Contributing factors included the crew's misidentification of the engine status during emergency communications and the difficulty in managing the aircraft's stability during the attempted return to base under asymmetric thrust conditions.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Systems & Failure Modes
Right Engine
Suffered a malfunction or fire shortly after takeoff, creating asymmetric thrust.
Flight Controls
The crew lost the ability to maintain stable flight while maneuvering the aircraft back to the airport under single-engine conditions.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was a CASA C-212 Aviocar produced under license in Indonesia by IPTN.
- 02The aircraft (MSN 152/26N) was manufactured in 1981.
- 03Two passengers, Irianto and 12-year-old Rusdiana, initially survived the impact, but Rusdiana died while being transported to the hospital.
- 04Two people on the ground at the gas plant were killed, including one who died later from severe injuries.
- 05The crash site was located approximately 2 to 3 kilometers short of the runway.
- 06The aircraft was heading back toward the airport at the time of the crash, confirming the crew's intent to return.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Industrial Zoning Review
The Indonesian Minister of Transportation recommended that local governments implement stricter regulations regarding the location of industrial plants near airports to mitigate risks from aviation accidents.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Airworthiness of Indonesian-built C-212s
Reference ↗The crash sparked a public debate regarding the safety and maintenance standards of the CASA C-212 aircraft produced under license by IPTN, following several other incidents involving the type in the early 1990s.