Three killed in Padalarang plane crash

PADALARANG, West Java (JP): Three people were killed after a U.S.-made Baron training plane, belonging to the Curug Civil Aviation Academy, crashed in the village of Tagog Apu, Padalarang subdistrict, Bandung, on Wednesday.

The fatalities were the pilot, Captain Hendi Yoga Pranata, 26, and two students Yuda Gautama and Puji Arianto, both 22 years old.

Kayat, a 30-year-old local farmer, who was working in his nearby field, was seriously injured by the plane's explosion.

An eyewitness, Agus, 25, said he saw the plane dive from the west and then ascend again before crashing into Pasir Buntu mountain, some 870 meters above sea level.

"The area has two mountains, Pasir Muncang and Pasir Buntu, and Kayat was working on the plain located between the two mountains," Agus said.

Another local, Acep, 30, said he saw fire at the tail of the plane before he heard a blast.

Darmawan, an investigator from the National Committee for Transportation Safety said that the weather was good at the time.

He speculated that the twin-engined plane was traveling at high speed and exploded after hitting the mountainside.

"We found the two engines of the plane in two separate places. They are all in good condition," he commented. "The plane had probably crashed into trees before hitting the mountainside, judging from the fact that there were 10 damaged trees located nearby."

"Unfortunately, we have not yet found the speedometer. Most likely the training plane had no black box," Darmawan said.

Operational Chief of Bandung's Husen Sastranegara Airport Lt. Col. M.Z. Zamhari said, at the accident site, that the plane left Curug Academy at 8:27 a.m and arrived at Husen Sastranegara Airport at 9:11 a.m.

"After review on the (Curug - Husen Sastranegara) flight and a pre-flight check, the plane left at 10:57 a.m. for Curug. At 11:43 a.m. the pilot sent a 'mayday' signal and we lost contact with the plane at 11:54 a.m.," Zamhari said.

Meanwhile, Padalarang Police chief First Insp. Mulyadi said that the bodies of the three victims could not be identified.

"Parts of their bodies were found in two separate places. The first was found alongside the plane wreckage, the second was found some 50 meters away with another pile of debris," Mulyadi said, adding that the deceased had been transported to Bandung Hasan Sadikin Hospital before being rested at Curug Academy.

The dead bodies would be transported to their relatives today. Hendi, the pilot and Yuda were both from Tangerang, while Puji was a resident of Kapuk, West Jakarta.

Mulyadi said the accident site was being guarded by police as "there were many easily-stolen items." (25/sur)