Accident
On the afternoon of 30 April 2009, a Beechcraft Sundowner C23 aircraft, registered PK-ANW, operated by Sekolah Tinggi Penerbangan Indonesia (STPI), was on a local training flight from Budiarto Airport (Curug) in Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia. The aircraft impacted terrain at Tenjo Village, approximately 13 km southwest of the aerodrome.
Flight History
The training flight departed at 0628 UTC after taxi clearance at 0616 UTC. The pilots reported reaching the south training area at 0634 UTC. At 0641 UTC, the aerodrome controller advised of heavy rain in the vicinity and instructed the pilots to return for landing. The pilots initially acknowledged, but at 0652 UTC they reported remaining in the training area. At 0713 UTC, they stated they were returning. At 0733 UTC, the controller requested a position report but received no reply. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft was reported to have impacted the ground.
Occupants and Injuries
There were three persons on board: one flight instructor and two student pilots. The instructor was fatally injured. The two student pilots sustained serious injuries. The investigation concluded that the injuries to the student pilots resulted from not properly wearing their safety harnesses.
Weather
Thunderstorms, strong wind, and heavy rain were present in the area at the time of the accident. The controller had noted heavy rain near the aerodrome before the accident.
Aircraft Information
The Beechcraft Sundowner C23, registered PK-ANW, was airworthy at departure. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces, and the damage pattern was consistent with the aircraft being in an aerodynamically stalled condition at impact.
Safety Issues
The investigation identified a lack of supervision and instruction from STPI regarding the aircraft’s continued operation in adverse weather conditions, as documented in the STPI operating handbooks. Additionally, ground-based very high frequency radio communication equipment and ground-based wind direction indication equipment were found to be deficient, though these issues did not contribute to the accident.
Recommendations
The National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC) issued recommendations to STPI, Budiarto Airport Operator, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to address safety deficiencies related to aircraft operation in adverse weather and aerodrome equipment.