Indonesia's Adam Air once again.. "Passenger jet skids off runway"

[tommytill]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23350260-1702,00.html

no pics yet sorry.



http://www.flyadamair.com/radeon/media/Misc/topbrand.gif




This Award was bought to you by the letters T I C.

[tommytill]

5 taken to hospital, damaged airframe.


http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23350260-23109,00.html

[Longtimer]

Well into the dingles.


http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/03/10/222109/pictures-adam-air-737-skids-off-runway-at-batam.html

[woftam]

What happened to the slides? Not deployed or already removed? :confused:

[PK-KAR]

Aircraft hit was PK-KKT... 734 (leased from CIT)
According to "witnesses", Weather was after a rainshower, wet runway, steady slight crosswind, no gusts or windshear reported by previous 3 aircraft (a Merpati, Batavia Air and Indonesia Air Asia 737s).
Aircraft reported to have tried to land 2x and went around...
On 3rd attempt, aircraft bounced 3x, afterwhich right main landing gear collapsed causing aircraft to exit the runway. Landing gear jammed below the inboard right handside flaps causing damage to it.

On the same day it was also reported that Adam Air is to cease operations soon. 14 pilots have applied en masse to another airline, the accounting has been "zeroed" / "whitewashed", and that 7 aircraft are grounded because lease non-payments.

This compounds allegations over the past few months that Adam Air has been facing grave difficulties in staying alive, with crew exodus continuing and return to the "old (lack of) safety culture.

Part Owner Bhakti Investama has said they will start up a new airline too, leaving the future of Adam Air in doubt.

As to the slides... Well, I assume they've been removed... but then if they never had it onboard, I wouldn't be surprised somehow...

[alf5071h]

… a rainshower, wet runway, steady slight crosswind.
See slide 4 … Landing Threats. (www.flightsafety.org/ppt/managing_threat.ppt)

[airtags]

perhaps its my weary eyes or is the L1 door disarmed?
can see what appears to be the girt bar nesting in the door bustle and the window flag in its horizontal (disarmed) position.

[woftam]

That is my take on things as well airtags, it sure looks like a "stowed" girt bar at L1. :uhoh:

[HF3000]

Why would you punch the slides? It's only a gear collapse. I would call for a nice set of stairs.

[Sqwak7700]

Why would you punch the slides? It's only a gear collapse. I would call for a nice set of stairs.

Anytime that the aircraft is not resting on its gear, otherwise know as a "crash", you should evacuate the aircraft. Aircaft carry "fuel" in their wings, so you might not want to sit there waiting for stairs when a big pudle of Jet fuel builds up underneath you.

You don't by any chance work for Adam Air, do you? :ugh:

Seriously, what's it gonna take to shut these guys down. 4 accidents in the period of about 1 year. I can't beleive that they still find customers. It goes to show you that the majority of people are stupid and ignorant.

"ignorance is bliss" :hmm:

[llondel]

Has it come to rest with the nosewheel in the air? Looking at the top Flightglobal pic, there appears to be air under the gear.

I wonder if the chap with the pot of white paint has been there yet? He was pretty quick off the mark with the 737 banana.

[HF3000]

Work for Adam Air? Heaven forbid.

But no I don't subscribe to the theory that a gear collapse nor an aircraft leaving the runway necessarily calls for an immediate evacuation, nor does the training department of my airline.

Evidence or likelihood of fire/smoke: sure. But otherwise, you will likely cause more injuries evacuating passengers down slides. Particularly if the aircraft is not at normal "on-ground" body angle - some slides may be too steep to be used as designed and some slides too shallow. Furthermore, many passengers (elderly, disabled etc) are likely to sustain injuries on slides and slides should not be used unless a real and immediate greater danger exists (eg smoke/fire). An orderly disembarkation via stairs can always be upgraded to an evacuation if the situation changes.

If, indeed, the Adam Air aircraft called for stairs in this situation and did not evacuate with slides, I think that was the correct decision and possibly saved further injuries.

Having said that, yes Adam Air should be grounded for life and all Indonesian airlines should be banned from entering any other country until their industry is sorted out.

[PK-KAR]

Having said that, yes Adam Air should be grounded for life and all Indonesian airlines should be banned from entering any other country until their industry is sorted out.
You may have part of your wish come true... Adam Air has stopped taking reservations for flights after 16th March. Reservations was called and they said the same thing...
Why am I not surprised... :rolleyes:

As of the rest of the country's airlines... sorry, if there's someone to blame for us getting the EU ban, or for our DGAC to have been made incompetent (rumours include the former head of the DGAC being on the payroll of Adam Air), look no further than Adam Air... allegations of their "persuasion" to use the regulators to wreak havoc on other airlines were prevalent 2 years ago... We have airlines that self regulate better than the govt... :D

According to the news, it was 15 minutes before the pax was evacuated. Sounds like the IB A346 too... no slides, use the stairs... but hang on... I don't see stairs here... I see... A LADDER! :D
http://www.repubblica.it/2006/05/gallerie/esteri/indonesia-aereo/ap124607341003121750_big.jpg

And also according to the rumour mills, the injuries were caused by the pax eager to get out of the aircraft in panic after the door was opened... Dunno if this is true...

[Blues&twos]

Squak7700, your comment
It goes to show you that the majority of people are stupid and ignorant.
isn't really fair. How many people who aren't aviation enthusiasts or have some link to the industry would know Adam Air is a shambles? I wouldn't have known from the media. I almost certainly wouldn't have trawled the internet looking up accident statistics prior to booking - I don't for any other form of transport after all.

I would imagine "the majority of people" simply assume that if an airline is allowed to fly at all it reaches certain standards re: training & safety. (Not necessarily true I know, but not an unreasonable assumption for Joe Bloggs).

[B-HKD]

Come on guys! Was a pretty good landing! Better then those looneys from Garuda who go flapless :E

Leo:}

[flightleader]

Particularly if the aircraft is not at normal "on-ground" body angle - some slides may be too steep to be used as designed and some slides too shallow.

How do you know if the mobile steps fits? Which has a better chance to fit the exits? Slides or steps? Nonetheless.Adam Air has chosen the worst as the picture shown.

[goathead]

The sooner the day these turkeys stop operating the better , these guys and girls are the biggest bunch of incompetent aviation thugs ive ever come across.

THEY HIGHLIGHT THE COMPLETE AND UTTER BREAKDOWN OF THE REGULATATORY SYSTEM , BY CONTINOUSLY STOOPING TO THE LOWEST LEVELS OF SAFETY AND CORRUPTION.

ADAM AIR ARE THE SHONKIEST OPERATOR IN INDO AND THE AVIATION REGULATORY BODY THE WORST GOVERNING BODY IN THE WORLD?
:ugh:

[johnfeer]

Seems you won't have to worry about Adam Air too much longer. They've stopped selling tickets and one travel agency says she was told to expect an announcement in the next day or two that ther airline is shutting down.

[PK-KAR]

Just got a call from "someone in Batam Airport"...
Apparently the evacuation was done without ladders or slides. Slides reported to be U/S or Inop... Don't take this as confirmed info yet though, I'm waiting for pics he promised, taken during the evac...

[woftam]

Stairs?
Are you kidding? :ugh:
Take a look at the ground condition. There aren't too many 4x4 stairs around. :confused:

[PK-KAR]

OK, those photos are now online...

Evac in progress...
http://www.indoflyer.net/forum/upfiles/95/F72A23BEEB524EF1911E565EDAB77F8B.jpg

If my eyes are correct... there's 1 crew member on the phone, a handful of airport personnel, 1 (injured pax) carried by 2 other persons.

Immediately after evac completed.
http://www.indoflyer.net/forum/upfiles/95/24330DEF23DD4DF8B12AEDEC45755560.jpg

The Collapsed Landing Gear...
http://www.indoflyer.net/forum/upfiles/95/37CF913EDD314A85A6B778DE1368FCA7.jpg

Given these pics... the slides would have been the best choice, no need to rush them out, but it's better than having pax breaking their legs because they slipped on the metal ladders... :D

[lomapaseo]

I love visuals (pics)

very impressive ground ruts on only the left side, but the aircraft veered to the right. Hmmm, Could it be more drag on the right but smaller footprint of weight on the left? Like the difference between resting on the wheels vs resting on the engine nacelle

[Rwy in Sight]

I take it it is write off.

Rwy in Sight

[airtags]

nice pix PK -
very interested in your mention of the intell that suggests slides were U.S. Doors are clearly disarmed.
Any more detail/confirmation from Batam?

the ruts in the mud also make for some interesting hypothesis.

[ules]

wow i feel sorry for the passangers
check out this vid on youtube i just found !!
scary , they have their own onboard engineers !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YK136amZYI

[Brian Abraham]

Mmmm Seems to be a bit of "How do I open this damn thing?" going on. Hope not the case. Doesn't look as though fuselage deformation should have caused jamming.

[PK-KAR]

Lomapaseo,
The mud in Batam is very very soft... so yes, your question answers itself...

Airtags,
No further info with regards to the door. Although unlikely, but it wouldn't surprise me if the slides were unusable... ex Adam F/As have been caught by their seniors in their current employers for not checking the slide cylinder pressures... and, more than once...

More and more airlines are becoming very reluctant to accept former Adam crew because the "bad habits are hard to break"... and some have VERY bad habits.

ules & Brian Abraham,
The case of the door being stuck, isn't the only time in Adam Air. I am told on 2 different stories that particular case, one being parts of the door mechanism being deformed, the other was the door wouldn't close on departure and they forced it to close... and either way, the problem was nicely caught on camera... The video isn't from this case...

[priapism]

This rabble should be grounded and now!

[armchairpilot94116]

This airline is worse then one,two go of Thailand it seems.

[mingalababya]

I take it it is write off.

Knowing the Indons, they'll have it back in the air again in no time ;)

[bacem]

I don't agree. Gear Collapse or skidd off ranway: You should immediately evacuate. It is the normal rule. It is normal that during evacuation some part of passenger can be injured. But if you don't evacuate and fuel sparks later, you will be responsable of all the lives you didn't save. You will be Jailed:{
Think a little bit about the panic inside the cabin??? Or may be you will make an announcement that you are going to serve some fresh cold drink:=(free of course)

[flightleader]

For some reasons that they chose to let the pax out from the port side which is steeper toward the ground where the starboard side is nearer to the ground and
less steep angle.Less chances of injuries.

Oh, I just figure out their reason.............cheap boss paid peanuts for brainless crew! They deserved to be shut.

[lomapaseo]

For some reasons that they chose to let the pax out from the port side which is steeper toward the ground where the starboard side is nearer to the ground and
less steep angle.Less chances of injuries.


Could that be because there was no real hurry and that was a normal exit that the passengers use?

[BedakSrewet]

Rumor / Rumour has it that the local DGAC have suspended their AOC.

Can PK-KAR confirm and reason(s) of suspension ?

[PK-KAR]

I haven't heard of the DGAC pulling the plug on Adam Air yet, but here's what's happened:
1. 50% shareholder Bhakti Investama has pulled out of Adam Air citing "uncomfortable" as the reason. This was made public today.
2. The Suherman/Ang family is now the remaining shareholder. However, the family has a history of moving from business to business. Their previous business is trying to import chinese motorbikes before starting Adam Air, and now they've moved onto coal mining (I don't wanna see their mines!). It is said the family have lost interest on airlines.
3. The chances of Adam Air being merged into Bhakti Investama's upcoming airline "Eagle Air" is now zero. Adam Air themselves have said "it's impossible".

Now as to rumours:
1. I've heard infos that Adam Air sales offices have now closed their shops.
2. There are information that Adam Air HQ is also having a lot of police presence for unknown reasons.

Trying to get confirmation on these rumours as we speak.

For all we know the DGAC may have pulled the plug on Adam Air as we speak...

[PK-KAR]

In Flight Global,
DGAC confirms that several lessors have asked for 7 of their aircraft in Adam Air to be grounded. DGAC stated that Adam Air is having difficulty with the lessors and that the lessors request is based on business reasons, not safety reasons.

And Adam Air now trying to appear like a victim... Today in a press conference...
Press Conference by Management of Adam Air:
1. AdamSkyConnection Airlines (Adam Air) is a company owned by the following shareholders:
- Suherman family 50%
- Global Transport Services 19% and Bright Star Perkasa 31%, both are subsidiaries/affiliates of Bhakti Investama.

2. Sometime ago the management has informed the shareholders of the financial condition of the company, which is suffering from a cash deficit. The management has recommended that the shareholders salvage the situation through cash injection into the company. Several meetings have taken place but to date, the management hasn't received any firm decisions from the shareholders. To date, the management has only received commitments from the Suherman family which holds 50% of the shares.

3. The news regarding the withdrawal of Global Transport Service and Bright Star Perkasa, who are affiliates of Bhakti Investama, to date, the management has not received official documents on the matter from that/those party(ies).

4. The withdrawal of those companies are however, correct, and the management of Adam Air regrets such irresponsible action. Currently Adam Air still has the obligation to provide the best service to the customers, provide guarantees to fulfill the rights of around 3000 staff, as well as obligations to third parties.

5. The news of the withdrawal of those companies, which have not been accompanied by formal notification/documentation has put the management of Adam Air under great difficulty in answering questions from the staff and 3rd parties such as aircraft lessors.

6. Due to the news of the withdrawal of those companies, the Management of Adam Air will send a formal letter to the shareholders to clarify the news.

I guess my prediction was right in that this marriage wouldn't last for 2 years... it's gonna be 1 year to the month I think...

[mini]

link: http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/03/14/222220/leasing-firms-take-action-against-indonesias-adam-air.html

[PK-KAR]

Adam Air today (Sunday) announced that it will cease operations tomorrow.
The suspension will be effective until Adam Air finds a new investor to replace Bhakti Investama (50%) who announced on Friday that they no longer want to be a part of Adam Air.

[lomapaseo]

Adam Air today (Sunday) announced that it will cease operations tomorrow.
The suspension will be effective until Adam Air finds a new investor to replace Bhakti Investama (50%) who announced on Friday that they no longer want to be a part of Adam Air.

A new coat of paint and a new controling interest and presto we start over with a new count.

I suppose this will satisfy the local flying public.

[PK-KAR]

Adam can't even make up their minds on whether or not they're flying or not.

The Department of Communications (Transport) has stated that Adam Air needs to be firm on its plans whether to stop or continue operations. The minister has asked the DGAC to confirm with Adam Air whether the airline has decided to continue or not, despite yesterday's announcement that they will stop operating today and that today Adam Air flights are still continuing. Adam Air must declare its suspension of operations otherwise an undeclared suspension will result in it's AOC being revoked after 21 days of an undeclared suspension.

Adam Air is left with a fleet of 9 (from 21). From 52 routes it is down to 12 routes. Today, Adam is reported to have only served Medan, Denpasar, Padang, Surabaya and Bengkulu.

Travel Agencies are closely monitoring the developments at Adam Air. There are confusion as to when Adam will stop operating. Yesterday it was announced that they would stop operations today, but agents have heard 20th as the date of last operations.

Mass refunds have started in Jogjakarta, and Adam Air has stopped operating to JOG.

Surabaya Airport hasn't received notification from Adam on suspension of operations. Adam Air sales office at Surabaya Airport is still serving customers. The airport has also revealed that flight schedules has been reduced since 9th March... from 10 flights a day down to 4 flights a day by the 11th, and 2 flights were scheduled on 12th with only 1 flight actually operating and today, only 1 flight was reported.

Adam Air also owes PT. Angkasa Pura II (APII) (the operator for most of the Airports in Western Indonesia) around 300,000 USD, resulting in APII impounding 5 of Adam Air's aircraft until it is clear whether Adam Air will continue operating or not.

It was reported yesterday in the Jawa Pos newspaper that there are talks of a new investor from the Middle East to replace Bhakti Investama. However, discussions with several Adam Air employees yesterday, revealed that even that's not certain. The company is basically running without any direction as we speak. Sales offices don't know if the flights are going to operate or not. Staff are worried that the "news" on a new investor is deliberately put out to quell their demands of severance pays, etc... because this has happened before at other airlines that has closed down as a method to "stall" those payments and entitlements.

I'm still receiving calls from friends at travel agencies who are panicked about their ticket deposits at Adam...

[evogear]

Drove around the airport after the accident.... saw the a/c laying on the ground.... very very sad,....

[caiman27]

JAKARTA (AFP)--Indonesian budget airline Adam Air has been banned from flying on safety grounds, the country's chief of air transport said Tuesday.
"The transport ministry has decided to revoke Adam Air's operational specification, effective 12:00 am Wednesday (1700 GMT Tuesday)," Budhi Muliawan Suyitno told reporters. "With this, Adam Air is banned from operating its aircraft. All of its planes must be automatically grounded."

[islandflyer]

... a few hours before the Ministry ban, Adam already
announced that they would not operate starting the 21st. They have 5 million US$ unpaid fuel and other financial problems.

So effectively the authorities killed Adam Air - just after it died the "financial death".
:D

If they would have banned it a week ago, it may have earned Indonesia some international respect for starting to properly regulate the airlines. Now it just looks cheap...
:ugh:

[maxrpm]

Just studied the EU Black list forbidding airlines to operate flights in or out of the community. All airlines which operate under the supervision of Indonesia seem to be banned.


http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air-ban/pdf/list_en.pdf