Pilot of Pelita Air Aircraft That Crashed in Krayan, Kalimantan Reported Safe
The pilot of a Pelita Air fuel transport aircraft that crashed in the hilly terrain of Krayan, Nunukan Regency, North Kalimantan, has been reported safe. The pilot is said to have escaped death after successfully deploying a parachute moments before the aircraft hit the ground.
The information was conveyed by Dawat Butal, a local resident in contact with inhabitants of Pa’ Betung Village near the crash area. The pilot has since been found and evacuated by local residents.
“The pilot has been found by residents of Pa’ Betung. The pilot himself recounted that he used a parachute. The pilot is safe and has been secured by Pa’ Betung villagers,” said Dawat, as quoted on Thursday (19 February).
Dawat, currently in the Trang Baru area, explained that according to local eyewitnesses, the aircraft fuselage was seen plunging into the hills first, followed shortly afterwards by the parachute carrying the pilot descending from the sky.
At the time of reporting, the villagers and the pilot remained at a safe location in Pa’ Betung Village. Local residents had not yet been able to reach the precise crash site of the aircraft wreckage due to the difficult terrain.
“According to residents, the aircraft fell first and then the parachute followed down. Residents have not yet reached the crash site. I have asked locals to send photographs and video if they are able to,” Dawat added.
Pelita Air Responds
Corporate Secretary of PT Pelita Air Service, Patria Rhamadonna, said that the accident involving one of Pelita Air’s charter fleet was under investigation.
The flight was a fuel cargo service crewed by a single pilot, with no cabin crew or passengers, using an Air Tractor AT-802 aircraft with registration PK-PAA.
“The aircraft is a specialist fleet serving the One Price Fuel delivery mission to border regions. At the last monitoring point, the aircraft had just completed a distribution mission to Long Bawan and was on its return route to Juwata Airport, Tarakan,” said Patria in a written statement.
The Pelita Air aircraft crashed shortly after take-off, having unloaded its fuel cargo at Yuvai Semaring Airport in Long Bawan. Weather conditions over Krayan at the time of the incident and continuing thereafter were reported as overcast and dark.
An eyewitness at the airport, Aboy, described the tense moments as the aircraft began to lose control.
“The aircraft took off and was turning to the left. What I saw was that one part of the aircraft came loose, followed by the aircraft banking uncontrollably,” said Aboy.