Helicopter crashes in Ancol

JAKARTA (JP): Two people survived a helicopter crash uninjured on Wednesday when the aircraft belonging to PT Heli Zona attempted an emergency landing on a golf course on the Taman Impian Jaya Ancol recreation site in North Jakarta.

The helicopter, piloted by Suratman, a retired Navy serviceman, was carrying a Sonora radio reporter, Bartolomeus Batag Gunarto, who was making aerial reports of traffic conditions across Greater Jakarta, when its engine failed at around 9 a.m.

The aircraft, with registration code PK-WMB, broke its main and rear rotors when it overturned during the landing.

Spokesman for PT Heli Zona, Robert Haubourdin, told reporters that the helicopter, produced by Robinson Manufacture in October last year, was forced to make an emergency landing after its warning light flashed twice while passing the Ancol area.

He said the helicopter was already slowly losing altitude following the warning signal.

The pilot steered the aircraft to the nearest open field for an emergency landing after he saw the warning light for the third time.

Haubourdin blamed the bumpy terrain of the golf course for the accident on landing.

He said he was not informed of how serious the damage to the helicopter was, which was sent to its hangar in Lido, Sukabumi, in West Java.

Security personnel blanketed the helicopter with a tarpaulin and prevented people from approaching it after the crash. They also prevented journalists from taking photographs.

An investigation team comprising representatives from City Police, the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunication and PT Heli Zona has been formed.

Sonora, a leading commercial radio station in the city, makes live aerial traffic reports every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

A staff member of the radio station said the program would continue despite the accident. (bay/amd)