Merpati Nusantara Airlines Flight 724

1993 aviation accident

Merpati Nusantara Airlines Flight 724
Accident
A Merpati Nusantara Airlines Fokker F28 Fellowship similar to the crashed aircraft
Date	1 July 1993
Summary	Controlled flight into terrain due to pilot error
Site	Near Jefman Airport, Sorong, West Papua, Indonesia 0°54′50″S 131°7′52″E / 0.91389°S 131.13111°E / -0.91389; 131.13111
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Fokker F28 Fellowship
Operator	Merpati Nusantara Airlines
Registration	PK-GFU
Flight origin	Pattimura Airport, Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia
Destination	Jefman Airport, Sorong, Irian Jaya, Indonesia
Occupants	43
Passengers	39
Crew	4
Fatalities	41
Injuries	2
Survivors	2

Merpati Nusantara Airlines Flight 724 (MZ724/MNA724) was a scheduled domestic passenger flight operated by Merpati Nusantara Airlines from Pattimura Airport in Maluku's provincial capital Ambon to Jefman Airport in Sorong, Irian Jaya (currently West Papua); both in Indonesia. On 1 July 1993, the aircraft operating the flight, a Fokker F28 Fellowship 3000 registered as PK-GFU, crashed into the sea after it struck a small hill near Jefman Airport. Forty-one people were killed in the crash.

The crash was the deadliest in Merpati Nusantara Airlines' history. Investigators concluded that the pilot of the aircraft unintentionally flew into high terrain. Subsequent damage caused the aircraft to crash into the sea off Jefman Airport.

Accident

On 1 July 1993, the Fokker F28 Fellowship was approaching Jefman Airport at a relatively low height. Survivors recalled that the distance between the ground and the aircraft was less than one metre. The aircraft suddenly climbed then the left landing gear struck the summit of a small hill. Survivors stated that there was a loud bang when it happened.

Some passengers were thrown from their seats inside the aircraft. Parts of the wing detached, and the aircraft began to spin. The aircraft then overran the airport and crashed into the sea, breaking into three main sections. Most of the victims were found still strapped to their seats and several bodies floated to the surface. Search and rescue units were deployed immediately after the crash. Local fishermen arrived first on the crash site and helped a young boy and a man from the site. Several people survived the crash, but some died from their injuries. A man survived the crash and saved an unconscious boy from the water. While handing the boy over to a local fisherman, he suddenly became unconscious and later died.

News of the crash began to break at 3:00pm - 4:00pm. Relatives of the victims were informed about the crash and were transported to the crash site. They arrived the following day. The evacuation process was relatively quick, as the crash site was easily accessible.

Aircraft

The aircraft involved in the crash was a Fokker F28 Fellowship 3000 registered as PK-GFU with a serial number of 11131. The aircraft had its first flight in April 1978. It was delivered the same year and after service with Garuda Indonesia it was sold to Merpati Nusantara Airlines in 1989.

Investigation

Weather conditions were reported as bad at the time of the crash. Eyewitnesses stated that heavy rain was accompanied by strong wind. Merpati spokesman also stated that the weather in and around Sorong was "inclement", including the area of Jefman Airport. Thick black clouds could be seen at the time of the crash. Reports revealed that air traffic controllers had warned the crew of Flight 724 to abort their landing attempt and divert to Biak Airport. However, the pilot of Flight 724 insisted on landing at Jefman Airport.

When the pilot started the descent the aircraft turned towards the sea instead of the runway. The pilot seemed to be disoriented due to the inclement weather conditions. Seconds later, the crew realized their mistakes and executed a climb, but failed. The front part of the aircraft did manage to avoid the hill, however the rear part of the aircraft hit it. The aircraft then broke into three sections and crashed into the sea.

References

^ "INDONESIAN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT/INCIDENT DATABASE-YEAR 1993". knkt.dephub.go.id. Archived from the original on 2020-01-07.
"Accident Fokker F-28 Fellowship 3000 PK-GFU, Thursday 1 July 1993". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
^ "Kisah Fredy, Korban Selamat tragedi MZ 724 tahun 1993" [The story of Fredy, a survivor of the 1993 MZ 724 tragedy]. Atmosvers.blogspot.co.id (in Indonesian). Atmosvers. Retrieved 2017-01-17.
^ "Saya Dapat Merasakan Kepedihan Keluarga Korban, Karena Saya Pernah Berada di Posisi Seperti Mereka" [I Can Feel The Sadness Of The Victim's Family, Because I Was In Their Position]. kompasiana.com (in Indonesian). Kompasiana. 2012-05-11.
"Registration Details For PK-GFU (Merpati Nusantara Airlines) Fokker F-28-3000". www.planelogger.com. PlaneLogger.

External links

Photo of the wreckage

v t e Aviation accidents and incidents in 1993 (1993)
Jan 6 Lufthansa Cityline Flight 5634Feb 8 Tehran mid-air collisionFeb 11 Lufthansa Flight 592Mar 5 Palair Macedonian Airlines Flight 301Mar 31 Japan Air Lines Cargo Flight 46EApr 1 Alan Kulwicki Swearingen crashApr 6 China Eastern Airlines Flight 583Apr 14 American Airlines Flight 102Apr 18 Japan Air System Flight 451Apr 24 Indian Airlines Flight 427Apr 26 Indian Airlines Flight 491Apr 27 Zambia national football team plane crashMay 19 SAM Colombia Flight 501Jul 1 Merpati Nusantara Airlines Flight 724Jul 23 China Northwest Airlines Flight 2119Jul 26 Asiana Airlines Flight 733Jul 31 Everest Air Dornier 228 crashAug 12 Llyn Padarn helicopter crashAug 18 American International Airways Flight 808Aug 26 Sakha Avia Flight 301Aug 28 Khorog Tajikistan Airlines Yakovlev Yak-40 crashSep 14 Lufthansa Flight 2904Sep 21 Sukhumi airliners attacksOct 26 China Eastern Airlines Flight 5398Oct 27 Widerøe Flight 744Nov 4 China Airlines Flight 605Nov 13 China Northern Airlines Flight 6901Nov 20 Avioimpex Flight 110Nov 26 Auckland mid-air collisionDec 1 Northwest Airlink Flight 5719Dec 26 Kuban Airlines Flight 5719
1992 ◄ ► 1994

Aviation accidents and incidents in 1993 (1993)

Jan 6 Lufthansa Cityline Flight 5634Feb 8 Tehran mid-air collisionFeb 11 Lufthansa Flight 592Mar 5 Palair Macedonian Airlines Flight 301Mar 31 Japan Air Lines Cargo Flight 46EApr 1 Alan Kulwicki Swearingen crashApr 6 China Eastern Airlines Flight 583Apr 14 American Airlines Flight 102Apr 18 Japan Air System Flight 451Apr 24 Indian Airlines Flight 427Apr 26 Indian Airlines Flight 491Apr 27 Zambia national football team plane crashMay 19 SAM Colombia Flight 501Jul 1 Merpati Nusantara Airlines Flight 724Jul 23 China Northwest Airlines Flight 2119Jul 26 Asiana Airlines Flight 733Jul 31 Everest Air Dornier 228 crashAug 12 Llyn Padarn helicopter crashAug 18 American International Airways Flight 808Aug 26 Sakha Avia Flight 301Aug 28 Khorog Tajikistan Airlines Yakovlev Yak-40 crashSep 14 Lufthansa Flight 2904Sep 21 Sukhumi airliners attacksOct 26 China Eastern Airlines Flight 5398Oct 27 Widerøe Flight 744Nov 4 China Airlines Flight 605Nov 13 China Northern Airlines Flight 6901Nov 20 Avioimpex Flight 110Nov 26 Auckland mid-air collisionDec 1 Northwest Airlink Flight 5719Dec 26 Kuban Airlines Flight 5719

1992 ◄ ► 1994

v t e Aviation accidents and incidents in Indonesia before 2000
1940s	Qantas Short Empire shootdown (January 1942)* RAAF Douglas C-47 disappearance (December 1945)* Yogyakarta Dakota incident (July 1947)*
1950s	Air India Flight 300 (April 1955) KLM Flight 844 (July 1957)*
1960s	Garuda Indonesian Airways Flight 424 (January 1961) Garuda Indonesian Airways Flight 542 (February 1961) Garuda Indonesian Airways Flight 708 (February 1967)
1970s	Merpati Nusantara Airlines Vickers Viscount crash (November 1971) Pan Am Flight 812 (April 1974) Garuda Indonesian Airways Flight 150 (September 1975) Garuda Fokker F28 crash (July 1979)
1980s	Garuda Indonesian Airways Flight 206 (March 1981) Garuda Fokker F28 crash (March 1982) British Airways Flight 009 (June 1982) Garuda Indonesia Flight 035 (April 1987)
1990s	Jakarta Indonesian Air Force C-130 crash (October 1991) Mandala Airlines Flight 660 (July 1992) Merpati Nusantara Airlines Flight 5601 (October 1992) Merpati Nusantara Airlines Flight 724 (July 1993) Dirgantara Air Service Flight 5940 (December 1996) Merpati Nusantara Airlines Flight 106 (April 1997) Sempati Air Flight 304 (July 1997) Garuda Indonesia Flight 152 (September 1997) SilkAir Flight 185 (December 1997)
"*" denotes an incident that took place in either the Dutch East Indies or Netherlands New Guinea 1940–1999 ► 2000–2009

Categories:

Misplaced Pages