What happened
During an approach to Palembang-Sultan Badaruddin II Airport, a mid-air collision occurred between two aircraft. One of the planes was arriving from Jakarta and carried 13 passengers along with four crew members. This aircraft struck another Garuda C-47, registered PK-GDE, which was also in the process of approaching the same airfield.
Following the impact, both aircraft lost control and descended into a nearby swampy region. The accident resulted in 34 fatalities, accounting for every person on board both planes.
Findings
Investigations into the accident concluded that the primary reason for the collision was that the flight crews of both aircraft did not maintain adequate visual scanning for other traffic while approaching the airport simultaneously. Additionally, it was noted that insufficient assistance from Air Traffic Control may have contributed to the occurrence of the accident.