21 fatalities

Airplane Strikes Mount Burangrang, Killing All 21 Onboard (PK-GDI)

Mt Burangrang, IndonesiaFlight

On January 24, 1961, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) (registration PK-GDI) operated by Garuda Indonesian Airways was involved in an aviation accident near Mt Burangrang, Indonesia in flight. 21 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The attempt by the pilot to fly over mountainous terrain when unsure of his position and in weather conditions which severely restricted visibility. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

An airplane on a domestic flight from Jakarta to Surabaya struck the west slope of Mount Burangrang at 5,400 feet, killing all 21 occupants. The probable cause was the pilot's attempt to fly over mountainous terrain while unsure of position in severely restricted visibility.

Accident

An airplane departed Jakarta Airport at 1009 local time on a flight to Surabaya with intermediate stops at Bandung and Yogyakarta. The crew initially maintained 3,500 feet and at 1043 received permission to climb to 9,500 feet. At that time, they were instructed to contact Bandung Tower. Five minutes later, while cruising at 5,400 feet—below the assigned climb altitude—the airplane struck the west slope of Mount Burangrang.

Search and Recovery

The wreckage was located four days after the accident. All 21 occupants onboard were killed.

Probable Cause

According to the official investigation, the probable cause was the pilot's attempt to fly over mountainous terrain while unsure of his position and in weather conditions that severely restricted visibility.