Mandala a/c crashes at Medan
 

Mandala a/c crashes within one minute of taking off from Medan, according to news agencies. No details yet.

News report some 30 killed :(

A/C belongs to a buget airline enroute to Jarkata

From HKG news:

B737, 109 onboard, caught fire after crash, now 60+ dead. :ugh:

JAKARTA, Indonesia - An Indonesian jetliner crashed into a residential neighborhood in the city of Medan one minute after takeoff Monday and burst into flames. The director of a local hospital said at least 60 people were killed.

The airport in Medan, the largest city on Sumatra island, is close to the center of town and surrounded by densely populated residential areas.

The plane was operated by Mandala, a low-cost carrier, and was heading to Jakarta when it crashed, Rizal, a witness, told Metro television station.

It was not immediately clear how many people were on board the plane, but Rizal said he saw at least 30 charred bodies at the accident site.

Firefighters were at the scene trying to put out the blaze, witnesses told the station.

The airport in Medan, the largest city on Sumatra island, is close to the center of town and surrounded by densely populated residential areas.

A Mandala Airlines Boeing 737-200 carrying 109 passengers crashed just after takeoff from Medan city on Monday.

The flight RI 091 was heading to Jakarta when it came down 500 metres from the runway into a crowded housing complex.

Edi Sofyan, a spokesman for the North Sumatra provincial government, said the death toll is around 100 and there are no reports of survivors. He did not make clear if there were deaths on the ground.

Syahrial Anas, a doctor, said at least 60 people were killed.

Indonesia's Transport Minister, Hatta Radjasa, said 109 people were on board while the airline's insurer said the jet was carrying 117 passengers and an unspecified number of crew.

Several senior government officials were on that plane. North Sumatra Governor Rizal Nurdin and a former North Sumatra governor, Raja Inal Siregar were heading to the capital for talks with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The acting governor of Aceh is also onboard.

http://www.radarvector.com/2005/09/p...00-aboard.html

(Unsubstantiated) Media report suggests that engine was on fire prior to accident and that aircraft was mushing through the air as it lost height. very unpleasant.

from www.jacdec.de

DATE: 05.09.2005
LOCAL TIME: -
LOCATION: Medan area (WIMM) / Sumatra
COUNTRY: Indonesia
AIRLINE: Mandala AL
TYPE: Boeing 737-230
REGISTRATION: PK-RIM
C/N: 22136
AGE: 24 y + 1 m
OPERATION: DSP
FLIGHT No.: _RI 091
FROM: Medan
TO: Jakarta
VIA:_-
OCCUPANTS:_PAX/CREW:_117
FATALITIES:_PAX: 100+CREW: x OTHER: x
INJURIES:_PAX: _x CREW: x OTHER: x
DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT:_destroyed
On a late takeoff abort - possibly around or after V1 - the aircraft ran about 500 m beyond the end of the runway where it broke apart and caught fire. The 737 hit houses before coming to rest.
NOTE: This accident represents the 7th hull loss for Mandala AL and the 117th hull loss of an Boeing 737 airliner.

Not knowing the full facts or details of the other losses, but if this one is the seventh hull loss in the carrier's history, even allowing for freak accidents and other unavoidable events, one would think that the Indonesian CAA (or whatever it's called) should be taking a rather close look at the circumstancs behind the carrier's accident record.

Story from BBC News (including video of crash site) at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...ic/4214452.stm

Fairly short article though.

Jordan

There's a bit more news on this Reuter's link. Terrorism already being discounted!!

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsAr...DONESIA-DC.XML

The wires are reporting that at least 30 people have been killed on the ground as well.

Very sad.

This link had the data up within 30 minutes of the crash. Also gives weather info and dimensions of runway.

http://aviation-safety.net/database/...?id=20050905-0

PK-RIM B737-230 c/n : 22136 Lineno : 783

200781 first flight
110881 D-ABHK Lufthansa
290494 TF-ABY Air Atlanta Iceland
300494 TF-ABY Tunis Air
211094 D-ABHK Lufthansa storedd 211094
241194 PK-RIM Mandala Airlines

I am only a pax, have nearly zero knowledge of aircraft and have zero idea as to what caused this crash. With those caveats in place....

I used to fly Mandala when during the Indonesia / Asian crises they were one of the only airlines flying from Jakarta to Samerang (sp?). The planes were very old and though that may well be no indication of the safety of the thing the feeling I had on every flight (which only lasted <1hr) was one of at best, worry. The mix of elderly aircraft, falling apart aircraft interiors, 'strange' (lets say to a pax - 'abrupt') flying styles and poor service always used to make me very happy to get off the other end and sigh with relief.

This may well have no bearing whatsoever on this flight / incident but many of us who flew this airline certainly felt it was a question of when not if.

I apologise in advance if this is of no use to the proffessional flying community.

I don't know what Mandala is like nowadays but the fact that it has had '7 hull losses' since the airline started operations is meaningless. The airline's last 'hull loss' (also fatal) was in July 1992 - 13 years ago - with a Viscount. Todays tragic accident was the first 'hull loss' or fatal accident suffered by the airline with jets.

Just 'bean counting' the number of accidents an airline has had without detailed analysis of the full circumstances and probable causes is not much use and, even then, looking at accidents that happened years ago does not necessaryly tell you anything about the operator today.

Those MDL 732s often fly out of MES at or near MTOW... any "extra weight" could result in catastrophe...

"Those guys slap on extra cargo, not tell the pilot and now they're getting burnt flesh at the end of 05... Hmm, enjoy the kickback $$ in hell! But why should I be the burnt flesh at the end of 05 if I can just take off 500kgs off the aircraft and slap that weight on as something else..." (someone from Mandala complaining on MES)

PK-RIM's brakes known to be a bit iffy comparing to others in the fleet. However, this may not be the crucial factor.

I guess we'll have to wait and see what the investigations find...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...t/DSC_0163.jpg

Pictures from the runway end safety area:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...t/Image209.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...t/Image208.jpg

Sad day... This could be the end for Mandala, already struggling to survive in the brutally overly competitive market in Indonesia dominated by "seat traders" not airlines!

The governor of North Sumatra and the former governor is amongst the victims. God knows how many on the ground was killed. Saw at least a couple of charred ground victims on TV... :(

Not all pax are killed. 8 are still in hospital (last count)... 1 escaped with bruises only, 1 with broken bones and bruises. 3 are known to have stabilised and is now back in critical stage... the other 3 I dunno... Glued to the news at the moment.

88 bodies in the morgue so far, incl 6 ground victims.

PK-KAR

Mandala499

BBC web news now reporting that "At least six survived" all at the back of the fuselage. Full story here. BBC
BBC:

Now reported 16 pax survived.

PK-KAR

I've heard for years and years, that most survivors of crashes have been seated in the back of the plane. Is this backed up by statistical data?

Looks like the area surrounding the airport is very densely populated.

http://www.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/open.file/456978/L/

Mandala was founded in 1969 by a foundation linked to the Indonesian armed forces. Not wanting to put too fine a point on it, but such ownership often suggests that a company could, if it wanted, operate without having to endure much interference from civilian authorities.