Indonesian B737 runway overrun/crash
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Latest on trial of pilot
By Adam Gartrell in Jakarta
February 23, 2009 06:58pm
PROSECUTORS are seeking just four years' jail for the pilot of a Garuda plane that crashed killing 21 people, including five Australians.
The Garuda Indonesia Boeing 737 slammed onto the runway at Yogyakarta airport, careered into a field and exploded in flames on March 7, 2007.
Marwoto Komar has been facing trial in the Sleman District Court, in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, charged with deliberately crashing the plane, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
But prosecutors declared they would only seek convictions for less serious criminal negligence charges.
Mr Komar's lawyer Muhammad Assegaf said the more serious charge was never intended to be used against flight crew.
"It was meant for terrorists who hijacked a plane," Mr Assegaf said.
"I don't agree that flight crew should be treated the same as terrorists."
The case is due to return to court on March 10.
The Australians killed in the crash were diplomat Liz O'Neill, AusAID official Allison Sudradjat, Australian Federal Police Officers Brice Steele and Mark Scott, and Australian Financial Review journalist Morgan Mellish.
A government probe found Mr Komar ignored 15 automated cockpit warnings not to land as he brought the plane in at roughly twice the safe speed.
Mr Komar's pilot licence was suspended and he was sacked by Garuda.
Indonesia, which relies heavily on air links across the archipelago, has one of Asia's worst air safety records.
February 23, 2009 06:58pm
PROSECUTORS are seeking just four years' jail for the pilot of a Garuda plane that crashed killing 21 people, including five Australians.
The Garuda Indonesia Boeing 737 slammed onto the runway at Yogyakarta airport, careered into a field and exploded in flames on March 7, 2007.
Marwoto Komar has been facing trial in the Sleman District Court, in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, charged with deliberately crashing the plane, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
But prosecutors declared they would only seek convictions for less serious criminal negligence charges.
Mr Komar's lawyer Muhammad Assegaf said the more serious charge was never intended to be used against flight crew.
"It was meant for terrorists who hijacked a plane," Mr Assegaf said.
"I don't agree that flight crew should be treated the same as terrorists."
The case is due to return to court on March 10.
The Australians killed in the crash were diplomat Liz O'Neill, AusAID official Allison Sudradjat, Australian Federal Police Officers Brice Steele and Mark Scott, and Australian Financial Review journalist Morgan Mellish.
A government probe found Mr Komar ignored 15 automated cockpit warnings not to land as he brought the plane in at roughly twice the safe speed.
Mr Komar's pilot licence was suspended and he was sacked by Garuda.
Indonesia, which relies heavily on air links across the archipelago, has one of Asia's worst air safety records.
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I never done nuffinck guv...
Nothing quite like taking responsibility for one's actions...And I wonder where the notion of defining the flaps as at "level 15" - the strongest possible" might have come from...
Pilot blames all but himself for crash that killed five Australians | theage.com.au
Pilot blames all but himself for crash that killed five Australians
And his legal team insisted that the extent of the death toll - 21 people died - was due to the late response of fire engines to the crash.
The pilot, Marwoto Komar, was yesterday making his last pleas of innocence to a panel of judges considering charges he was criminally negligent in causing the crash. Prosecutors have sought a four-year jail term.
Marwoto's latest defence is a departure from his previous explanations for the crash, which have centred on a sudden bout of turbulence knocking the plane off course.
His new claims of culpability by his co-pilot, Gagam Rohmana, followed earlier testimony from Mr Gagam that he had warned Marwoto to abort the landing but was ignored.
Addressing Yogyakarta's Sleman District Court yesterday, Marwoto said he told Mr Gagam to put the flaps on "level 15" - the strongest possible - to slow the plane because it was approaching the landing strip too fast. "The plane's speed exceeded 205 knots and at that time witness Gagam had not followed my order to put on flap 15," he said.
He said the plane was also experiencing technical difficulties while on auto-pilot.
"The increase in speed was due to the plane nose, which was heading down. That condition automatically made the plane go faster and down sharply at 2000 feet per minute, which was not the speed I wanted to," he said.
Marwoto denied he ignored Mr Gagam's warning, but said it came too late. "I attempted to make sure the plane did not hit the ground outside the runway because there were houses. That's why I tried to land the plane within the runway."
Marwoto's lawyer, Muhammad Assegaf, told the court: "The fact that it took so many lives was not because of the landing but because of the late anticipation of the fire engines that caused the plane to catch fire."
But survivors of the crash have retold how the front of the plane quickly burst into flames after impact. Most of those who died or where badly injured were seated near the cockpit.
The Australians killed in the crash were diplomat Liz O'Neill, AusAID official Allison Sudradjat, Australian Federal Police officers Brice Steele and Mark Scott, and Austra-lian Financial Review journalist Morgan Mellish.
With YUYUK SUGARMAN
Pilot blames all but himself for crash that killed five Australians | theage.com.au
Pilot blames all but himself for crash that killed five Australians
- Tom Allard, Jakarta
- March 11, 2009
And his legal team insisted that the extent of the death toll - 21 people died - was due to the late response of fire engines to the crash.
The pilot, Marwoto Komar, was yesterday making his last pleas of innocence to a panel of judges considering charges he was criminally negligent in causing the crash. Prosecutors have sought a four-year jail term.
Marwoto's latest defence is a departure from his previous explanations for the crash, which have centred on a sudden bout of turbulence knocking the plane off course.
His new claims of culpability by his co-pilot, Gagam Rohmana, followed earlier testimony from Mr Gagam that he had warned Marwoto to abort the landing but was ignored.
Addressing Yogyakarta's Sleman District Court yesterday, Marwoto said he told Mr Gagam to put the flaps on "level 15" - the strongest possible - to slow the plane because it was approaching the landing strip too fast. "The plane's speed exceeded 205 knots and at that time witness Gagam had not followed my order to put on flap 15," he said.
He said the plane was also experiencing technical difficulties while on auto-pilot.
"The increase in speed was due to the plane nose, which was heading down. That condition automatically made the plane go faster and down sharply at 2000 feet per minute, which was not the speed I wanted to," he said.
Marwoto denied he ignored Mr Gagam's warning, but said it came too late. "I attempted to make sure the plane did not hit the ground outside the runway because there were houses. That's why I tried to land the plane within the runway."
Marwoto's lawyer, Muhammad Assegaf, told the court: "The fact that it took so many lives was not because of the landing but because of the late anticipation of the fire engines that caused the plane to catch fire."
But survivors of the crash have retold how the front of the plane quickly burst into flames after impact. Most of those who died or where badly injured were seated near the cockpit.
The Australians killed in the crash were diplomat Liz O'Neill, AusAID official Allison Sudradjat, Australian Federal Police officers Brice Steele and Mark Scott, and Austra-lian Financial Review journalist Morgan Mellish.
With YUYUK SUGARMAN
Last edited by johngreen; 10th Mar 2009 at 19:27. Reason: typo
World's fastest B737
By Adam Gartrell, AAP South-East Asia Correspondent
JAKARTA: The pilot of a Garuda Indonesia plane that crashed killing 21 people has blamed the disaster on mechanical problems.
He told a court hearing in Jakarta on Tuesday that he did all he could to land the aircraft safely.
The Boeing 737 slammed onto the runway at Yogyakarta airport in Java, careered into a field and exploded in flames on March 7, 2007.
A government probe found pilot Marwoto Komar ignored 15 automated cockpit warnings not to land as he brought the plane in at roughly twice the safe speed.
Komar is facing trial in Yogyakarta, accused of criminal negligence leading to death.
But in Sleman District Court on Tuesday, Komar sought to blame the crash on steering problems.
"At the height of 2500 feet my plane went into a sharp dive, at the speed of 2000 knots per minute," Komar, wearing his pilot's uniform, told the court.
"'There is something wrong', I said to the co-pilot.
"Then I switched off the auto-pilot, the automatic steering, and tried manually to lift the plane's nose.
"But the plane was still diving.
"The plane's steering was jammed, I could not lift or lower the nose."
Komar said he did not ignore warnings from the aircraft or his co-pilot, but had in fact been powerless to heed them, because of the steering jam.
"I have tried to save the plane, and the passengers," he said.
"The rescue attempt that I made, that was my own initiative.
"Why didn't I report (the problems) to air traffic controllers? Because there wasn't enough time, and it was an emergency situation."
Komar conceded it was the first time he had put forward such an explanation for the crash, but said he'd been prevented from telling his story to the press.
"What I convey here is not just a defence - by God's will, I am not lying," he said.
Prosecutors last month abandoned a charge against Komar that he deliberately crashed the plane, conceding they did not have enough evidence to back it up.
A verdict in the case is expected in the coming weeks.
The Australians killed in the crash were diplomat Liz O'Neill, AusAID official Allison Sudradjat, Australian Federal Police officers Brice Steele and Mark Scott and Australian Financial Review journalist Morgan Mellish.
Indonesia, which relies heavily on air links across the archipelago, has one of Asia's worst air safety records.
-AAP
JAKARTA: The pilot of a Garuda Indonesia plane that crashed killing 21 people has blamed the disaster on mechanical problems.
He told a court hearing in Jakarta on Tuesday that he did all he could to land the aircraft safely.
The Boeing 737 slammed onto the runway at Yogyakarta airport in Java, careered into a field and exploded in flames on March 7, 2007.
A government probe found pilot Marwoto Komar ignored 15 automated cockpit warnings not to land as he brought the plane in at roughly twice the safe speed.
Komar is facing trial in Yogyakarta, accused of criminal negligence leading to death.
But in Sleman District Court on Tuesday, Komar sought to blame the crash on steering problems.
"At the height of 2500 feet my plane went into a sharp dive, at the speed of 2000 knots per minute," Komar, wearing his pilot's uniform, told the court.
"'There is something wrong', I said to the co-pilot.
"Then I switched off the auto-pilot, the automatic steering, and tried manually to lift the plane's nose.
"But the plane was still diving.
"The plane's steering was jammed, I could not lift or lower the nose."
Komar said he did not ignore warnings from the aircraft or his co-pilot, but had in fact been powerless to heed them, because of the steering jam.
"I have tried to save the plane, and the passengers," he said.
"The rescue attempt that I made, that was my own initiative.
"Why didn't I report (the problems) to air traffic controllers? Because there wasn't enough time, and it was an emergency situation."
Komar conceded it was the first time he had put forward such an explanation for the crash, but said he'd been prevented from telling his story to the press.
"What I convey here is not just a defence - by God's will, I am not lying," he said.
Prosecutors last month abandoned a charge against Komar that he deliberately crashed the plane, conceding they did not have enough evidence to back it up.
A verdict in the case is expected in the coming weeks.
The Australians killed in the crash were diplomat Liz O'Neill, AusAID official Allison Sudradjat, Australian Federal Police officers Brice Steele and Mark Scott and Australian Financial Review journalist Morgan Mellish.
Indonesia, which relies heavily on air links across the archipelago, has one of Asia's worst air safety records.
-AAP
This must be the world's fastest B737.
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Presuming the press report is accurate, doesn't it make you sick to death of the blatant out-right lying by the captain? Let's hope the Indonesian court sees through this utter bullsh.t and makes a fair and sensible verdict based upon the facts - not lies.
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2 years for Garuda Pilot
As being reported by Australian ABC News ...
Garuda pilot jailed over fatal crash - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Garuda pilot jailed over fatal crash - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Last edited by Fizix; 6th Apr 2009 at 07:47. Reason: Typo
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Wider issues.
It seems that for justice to be done in this case, Garuda's operational environment and directives should be placed under close scrutiny by the courts and the wider implications of Indonesian aviation policy failures should be looked at too. In the interim, the bald fact is that people have died and more might die if these issues are not fixed. The fact that the Captain has been jailed does not fix the underlying causes of this disaster.
The Captain
I really feel for the PF and his CP. Where was the CRM in this instance?
There can be no question now that the decision he made was wrong, but we can also consider that he was working within the constraints of the local political pressures the air industry is in in Indonesia (say that without a stutter) .
He should have gone for TOGA. But somehow he believed that he could land fast and stop before the road ran out!
So, What made him think that way? Incorrect feedback from instruments? - NO. He knew his AS.
Pressure from his company to get down within a certain time? Probably.
or whatever.... Something clouded his judgement to the extent that next time he would not repeat the error of judgment. Who can say what that was now?
One of the sentencing judges remarked that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to a recurrence. Let us hope so.
Tragic loss anyway...
FN
There can be no question now that the decision he made was wrong, but we can also consider that he was working within the constraints of the local political pressures the air industry is in in Indonesia (say that without a stutter) .
He should have gone for TOGA. But somehow he believed that he could land fast and stop before the road ran out!
So, What made him think that way? Incorrect feedback from instruments? - NO. He knew his AS.
Pressure from his company to get down within a certain time? Probably.
or whatever.... Something clouded his judgement to the extent that next time he would not repeat the error of judgment. Who can say what that was now?
One of the sentencing judges remarked that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to a recurrence. Let us hope so.
Tragic loss anyway...
FN
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Another Automation Accident
Clearly to me anyway,
This is another accident where the crew was forced into the "couple-it-up or else you're in trouble" flight management mafia. Most of the accidents of late seem to have this component involved in them.
If this captain had been current hand-flying (auto pilot off AND auto throttles off) this accident would have never happened. He would have never been reluctant (read: afraid for his job) to click it all off and.... God forbid, "John Wayne" it in there.
But you rocket-men have all swallowed the automation bait and are really only pilots in name only. At this point you're really all are just FSS's (Flight Management Supervisors) incapable of disconnecting anything to a successful conclusion.
Wouldn't you agree?
How long before you all join this guy in a hearing for your freedom?
i suspect: not very long.
Whoops, here comes the "net-nanny" who will not permit an alternate view-point. I wish you all luck in this convoluted profession.
Captain Crunch - Out
This is another accident where the crew was forced into the "couple-it-up or else you're in trouble" flight management mafia. Most of the accidents of late seem to have this component involved in them.
If this captain had been current hand-flying (auto pilot off AND auto throttles off) this accident would have never happened. He would have never been reluctant (read: afraid for his job) to click it all off and.... God forbid, "John Wayne" it in there.
But you rocket-men have all swallowed the automation bait and are really only pilots in name only. At this point you're really all are just FSS's (Flight Management Supervisors) incapable of disconnecting anything to a successful conclusion.
Wouldn't you agree?
How long before you all join this guy in a hearing for your freedom?
i suspect: not very long.
Whoops, here comes the "net-nanny" who will not permit an alternate view-point. I wish you all luck in this convoluted profession.
Captain Crunch - Out
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or whatever.... Something clouded his judgement to the extent that next time he would not repeat the error of judgment. Who can say what that was now
Forget CRM in this case. The captain clearly didn't believe in it. It is a good bet that the captain had a past record of unstable approaches but somehow kept his job. The verdict of the judges was the right one. Turning up each day in the court dressed in his captain's uniform was ridiculous and was an obvious attempt to influence the court that a captain should be un-touchable. That alone should have been worth another two years in the slammer. He was lucky the judges were so lenient.
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TV interview with pilot
There is an interview with the pilot scheduled on Sunday evening April 19th on the Australian Channel Nine network.
It will include a story on the airline and asks the question "why is the airline is still operating".
Mickjoebill
It will include a story on the airline and asks the question "why is the airline is still operating".
Mickjoebill
"Air Crash Investigation" on Garuda 200
This was aired in the UK today (4 Jan 2016).
At the end of the program it was stated that the captain's conviction was overturned. If this is so, it's beyond belief.
On second thoughts...
At the end of the program it was stated that the captain's conviction was overturned. If this is so, it's beyond belief.
On second thoughts...
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They should not have tried the case before a criminal court to begin with.
Making criminals out of pilots for accidents == bad precedent which will only cause more safety issues in the future.
Making criminals out of pilots for accidents == bad precedent which will only cause more safety issues in the future.
it was stated that the captain's conviction was overturned. If this is so, it's beyond belief.
On second thoughts...
On second thoughts...
Making criminals out of pilots for accidents == bad precedent which will only cause more safety issues in the future.
Seriously.
Last edited by fox niner; 5th Jan 2016 at 11:05. Reason: typo/grammar
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Making criminals out of pilots for accidents == bad precedent which will only cause more safety issues in the future.
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Indonesia's criminal courts are an even bigger disgrace than its aviation industry.
Criminalizing accidents makes safety culture even worse. No one will want to bring up any potential safety issue due to fear of criminal liability. Data recorders will "mysteriously" get wiped all the time. FOQA will be useless. Coverups of everything will be the norm.
Safety culture depends on openness, and people fessing up without fear of retribution.
And since "safety culture" is a big factor, then why should pilots be the only ones to face criminal liability? Why not management & regulators who fostered this culture to begin with?
Criminalizing accidents makes safety culture even worse. No one will want to bring up any potential safety issue due to fear of criminal liability. Data recorders will "mysteriously" get wiped all the time. FOQA will be useless. Coverups of everything will be the norm.
Safety culture depends on openness, and people fessing up without fear of retribution.
And since "safety culture" is a big factor, then why should pilots be the only ones to face criminal liability? Why not management & regulators who fostered this culture to begin with?