Seven killed in Air Force chopper crash

Seven killed in Air Force chopper crash

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor, West Java

An Indonesian Air Force helicopter crashed on Wednesday onto
Atang Sanjaya airfield in Bogor during a test flight, killing all
seven people on board, an air force official said.

Air force spokesman Air Commodore Sagom Tambun said the two
pilots and five technicians on board the Puma Twin Pack H.3408
helicopter were instantly killed.

The cause of the accident is still being investigated, Sagom
said. "But we ruled out bad weather as a possible cause. The sky
was clear during the flight," he said.

The seven victims of the ill-fated flight are: pilot Air Force
Capt. Andy Wijaya and co-pilot Air Force Capt. Gustaf; and
technicians Chief Sgt. Syaefudin, First Sgt. Ipnu Mawardi, Sgt.
Maj. Munajat Hadiansyah and Chief Sgt. Bobby Aprianto. All died
from injuries sustained in the crash.

Airfield commander Air Force Col. Teuku Djohan said the
helicopter crashed at 10:18 a.m. "The flight was taken after the
chopper was serviced at the airfield maintenance facility," he
told The Jakarta Post over the telephone.

Sources said the pilot was a veteran.

A local resident who witnessed the crash said the craft had
been flying for a few minutes before it suddenly fell.

"A few minutes later, I saw a number of Air Force personnel
arrive at the crash site and evacuate the victims. They were
rushed to a hospital within the airfield compound," the witness,
who wished to remain anonymous, told the Post.

Following the crash, authorities sealed off the air field, and
dozens of military personnel were seen standing guard. Air Force
officials there remained tight-lipped over the incident.

The bodies of the victims would be laid out for one night at
the airfield hospital, and will be buried on Thursday at the
Dredet Heroes Cemetery in Bogor.

This year has already seen several fatal helicopter crashes.

On Oct. 4, eight soldiers were killed when a mid-air
helicopter stunt off the coast of war-torn Nanggroe Aceh
Darussalam went wrong.

The soldiers were hanging from lines suspended beneath the
chopper when high winds sent the helicopter plummeting toward the
sea. To save the craft, the crew cut the ropes carrying the
soldiers.

Earlier this year, three people were killed when a commercial
helicopter undertaking a survey flight skid off the helipad of
Sahid Jaya Hotel, Central Jakarta, and fell 22 floors into the
hotel's swimming pool.

Witnesses said that turbulence might have caused the crash,
while police believed that engine problems might have been the
primary cause.

As of yet, results of the probe into the hotel crash has not
been made public.