Ministry of Transport: Pelita Air Charter Plane Pilot Dies in Crash

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation at the Ministry of Transport has responded to an aircraft accident that occurred on Thursday (19 February 2026). Director General of Civil Aviation Lukman F Laisa said the Air Tractor AT-802 aircraft, registration PK-PAA, manufactured in 2013 with serial number 802-0494, was operated by Pelita Air Service specifically for fuel transportation to remote areas.

The aircraft departed from Long Bawan Airport at 04.10 UTC (12.10 WITA) bound for Tarakan Airport, carrying a cargo of Pertamina fuel oil. The estimated arrival time at Tarakan was 05.15 UTC (13.15 WITA).

The pilot, Captain Hendrick Lodewyck Adam, was the sole crew member on board. He was confirmed dead following the crash in the Nunukan area of North Kalimantan.

Based on preliminary data, the cause of the accident involving the single-crew aircraft is still under investigation. The Indonesian military (TNI) assisted with the evacuation of the deceased pilot from the crash site.

Pelita Air Service operates charter flights to transport essential supplies, including aviation fuel and other petroleum products, to remote and hard-to-reach areas in the Indonesian archipelago, particularly in border regions of Kalimantan.