What happened
On 18 April 2008, a Boeing 737-300, registration PK-CJC, operated by PT. Sriwijaya Air, was performing a scheduled flight from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang. During the landing phase at Depati Amir Airport, the aircraft touched down approximately 750 meters from the runway threshold. The aircraft failed to stop within the runway limits, overrunning the end of the pavement and coming to a rest 50 meters beyond the threshold within the stopway.
The flight was carrying 150 people, including 144 passengers and 6 crew members. While the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the inboard main landing gear tires and both engines, there were no injuries to any occupants. Passengers and crew disembarked via air stairs approximately one hour after the incident.
The investigation
The investigation into the overrun focused on the approach profile and the crew's management of the landing. Investigators established that the aircraft was traveling too fast and was too high during its final approach. The Pilot in Command (PIC) was reportedly distracted by a cabin-related issue during this period and failed to properly monitor the aircraft's descent and speed.
Furthermore, the investigation examined the post-incident response. It was noted that the airport rescue and fire fighting services arrived approximately 10 minutes after the aircraft stopped. During this interval, the crew was unaware of the full extent of the damage, and the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) data was subsequently overwritten because the power source to the recorder had not been deactivated following the incident.
Findings
- The approach was unstabilized, failing to meet the required parameters for speed and flight path.
- The Pilot in Command allowed the landing to proceed despite the aircraft being high and fast.
- Crew resource management and adherence to standard operating procedures were insufficient to ensure a safe landing.
- The lack of a procedure to deactivate the CVR power source led to the loss of critical cockpit voice data during ground handling.
Safety action
The NTSC issued several recommendations to PT. Sriwijaya Air and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. These include mandates to review and implement stricter stabilized approach criteria, specifically regarding speed, sink rate, and configuration. Additionally, the committee recommended that airlines review evacuation timelines when aircraft damage is unknown and established procedures to ensure flight recorders are deactivated immediately following a serious incident to preserve evidence.