What happened
A charter flight carrying several tourists departed from Palu-Mutiara Airport, destined for Tolitoli. During the flight, the crew initiated a descent from 9,000 feet down to 5,000 feet in an attempt to provide passengers with a more scenic view of the landscape below.
While performing this maneuver, the pilot identified an approaching mountain directly in the flight path. In an effort to avoid the terrain, the pilot attempted to increase the aircraft's altitude. However, the aircraft collided with treetops situated on a cliff edge, which led to an aerodynamic stall. The plane subsequently plummeted into a nearby ravine.
Search efforts located the wreckage several hours after the impact. Emergency responders managed to rescue one crew member and nine passengers from the site. Tragically, the accident resulted in 13 fatalities, which included both pilots on board.