By Simon Hradecky, created Wednesday, May 9th 2012 10:31Z, last updated Wednesday, May 9th 2012 11:03Z
A Sukhoi Sukhoi Superjet 100-95, registration RA-97004 performing a demonstration flight from Jakarta Halim Perdanakusuma Airport to Jakarta Halim Perdanakusuma Airport (Indonesia) with 36 passengers, 6 crew and 2 Sukhoi officials, was enroute near Mount Salak and Bogor about 36nm south of Jakarta about 30 minutes into the flight when the radio contact with the aircraft was lost. The aircraft has not turned up at Jakarta or any other airport in the area and would have run out of fuel by now.
No ELT signal has been located so far.
Indonesian Authorities reported the aircraft was enroute at 10,000 feet near Mount Salak when at about 15:30L (08:30Z) the crew requested and was cleared to descend to 6,000 feet. This proved to be the last radio transmission. Radar contact was lost when the aircraft was in a right hand turn descending through 6,200 feet. A search operation has been initiated and is mounting, first search flights have not yet found any trace of the aircraft.
Mount Salak is 2,211 meters/7254 feet high.
The local weatherstation in Bogor reported visibility at 9000 meters (increasing to 10000 meters in the next reading), temperature at 31 degrees C, dew point at 25 degrees C, humidity 70% and winds arund 5 knots from northeast, no precipitation. In the morning the weatherstation had reported low visibility around about 2000 meters.
PS from me: Dolya mentioned that there was low clouds the whole day.