What happened
On 25 April 2012, a Pilatus Porter PC-6, registration PK-VVQ, departed from Sepinggan-Balikpapan for an aerial survey mission in the Melak Area. The aircraft, operated by PT. Puji Astuti Aviation (Susi Air), was carrying one pilot and one passenger. The flight was scheduled to last approximately seven hours.
At 0505 UTC, the aircraft was confirmed to have departed Balikpapan Approach. Later, at 0910 UTC, the crew contacted Melak Radio at an altitude of 3,500 feet, indicating they would continue the survey for another twenty minutes. Communication was lost at 0930 UTC.
Prior to the loss of contact, a text message was sent by the passenger to an employer, stating that the aircraft had run out of fuel and was attempting to land on a road. A distress signal was subsequently detected by the Search and Rescue Bureau at 1025 UTC near coordinates 00 25’.02” N 116.02’.48”E.
On 26 April 2012, the wreckage was located in the Muaritan area of Kecamatan Tabang, Kutai Kartanegara. The impact resulted in two fatalities, as both the pilot and the passenger were killed. The aircraft sustained substantial damage during the accident.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a total depletion of fuel during the survey mission.