Flight Safety Information May 7, 2011 - No. 094 In This Issue MA-60 Crash: Indonesian Aviation Safety Setback The Indonesian governments efforts to improve its aviation safety reputation has suffered a setback with today's crash of an MA-60 turboprop belonging to Merpati Nusantara Airlines. Details from the crash of the Chinese airliner with 27 onboard are still emerging, but reports from Indonesia say at least 15 persons died, with others suggesting there are no survivors. The flight, which departed Sorong, was on its final approach to Kaimana airport when it crashed around 500 meters short of the runway. Local reports say the landing was being attempted in poor visibility. The accident follows the death of five persons in the crash of a Casa Aviocar in February in an accident at Bintan Island, Indonesia. A spate of accidents caused Indonesia in 2007 to end up on the European Union's blacklist and also under fire from the FAA. Since then, Indonesia has tried to strengthen oversight, leading to positive reaction and some airlines being removed from the blacklist. But safety problems have persisted, last year, Merpati Nusantara Airlines suffered a runway overrun with a Boeing 737 injuring around 20 people when the aircraft landed in heavy rain at Manokawi Airport in Indonesia's Papua Province. The airline -- which remains blacklisted by the EU -- also suffered a fatal accident in 2009. The European Union also points out in its latest blacklist update that Indonesian safety officials notified them in March "that only 9 % of the fleet of aircraft operating in Indonesia had yet to be fitted with the required ICAO equipment, that the [regulator] had issued an exemption permitting operations until the end of 2011, and that aircraft not fitted after this date would be grounded." The Aviation Safety Network notes that there have been 109 fatal accidents in Indonesia. http://www.aviationweek.com **************** Date: 07-MAY-2011 Time: 05.05Z Type: Xian MA-60 Operator: Merpati Nusantara Airlines Registration: PK-MZK C/n / msn: 603 Fatalities: Fatalities: 21 / Occupants: 21 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: In sea near Kaimana Airport - WASK, West Papua province. - Indonesia Phase: Approach Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Sorong Airport - WASS Destination airport: Kaimana Airport - WASK Narrative: The Xian MA-60 crashed in the sea about 500 meters (0.3 mile) from its destination. All 25 occupants were killed. www.aviation-safety.net Back to Top Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC