What happened
During an approach to Jakarta-Kemayoran Airport, the flight crew issued an emergency transmission indicating that the aircraft was experiencing instability. Following this communication, the plane performed a left bank before entering a steep dive. The aircraft subsequently impacted an open field in the Karawang region, situated approximately 26 kilometers east of Jakarta. The impact resulted in a debris field spanning 2 kilometers. There were 37 fatalities among the occupants of the flight.
Findings
Investigations determined that the accident was triggered by a structural failure within the elevator tab circuit, specifically an in-flight fracture of a spigot. This component had been operated far beyond its intended service life; while the part was rated for retirement after 12,000 flight hours, it had reached a total of 33,000 hours. Because this usage exceeded the total recorded airframe hours for the aircraft, evidence suggests the failed part had been relocated from a different aircraft. This transfer prevented the detection of the component's exceeded fatigue life during standard maintenance inspections.