Garuda Indonesia Plane Crash
July 1, 2000 by Medan Indonesia
Filed under Medan Flights, Travel
Garuda Indonesia 1997 Plane Crash in Medan Indonesia
Garuda Indonesia Flight 152 (GA152, GIA152) was a scheduled domestic Indonesian passenger flight from Jakarta to Medan Sumatra operated by state owned flag carrier Garuda Indonesia. On September 26, 1997, the Airbus A300 flying this route, registered PK-GAI, crashed into woodlands 18 miles from Medan in low visibility. All 235 passengers and crew were killed in the disaster. The crash site was at an altitude of 3,000 feet (915 m) above sea level, near the village of Pancur Batu, Desa Buah Nabar.
It remains the worst single-aircraft disaster in Indonesian history, and was the most deadly air disaster of 1997. It was the fourth highest death toll of any aviation accident involving an Airbus A300 after the crash of American Airlines Flight 587. source Wikipedia
The aircraft (PK-GAI), arriving from Jakarta, was cleared for an ILS approach to Medan runway 05 and was flying on a 316° heading on Airway 585/W12. Having descended to 3000ft the crew was instructed to turn left heading 240° for vectoring to intercept the runway 05 ILS.
At 1:28pm local time, the flight was instructed to continue on a 215° heading and descend to 2000ft. At 1:30 ATC directed the flight to turn right heading 046 and report when established on the localizer. Confusion the part of the air traffic controller followed over whether GA152 was turning left or right. Just 10 seconds after confirming the right turn, the Airbus crashed in a wooded area, broke up and burst into flames. The wreckage covered a 150×75m area near the village of Pancur Batu, which is located at an elevation of 3000 feet above mean sea level.
The accident happened 18 miles short of Medan Polonia International Airport. The region was affected by smog from forest fires, and visibility was reported to be only 600-800m.
Here is the reported conversation of the traffic controller with the pilot published in PlaneCrashInfo.com
September 26, 1997
Buah Nabar, Indonesia
Garuda Indonesia Airlines, Flight 152
Airbus A300-B4-200
PK-GAI
The aircraft crashed into mountainous terrain 15 minutes before it was due to land at Medan on a flight from Jakarta. The aircraft crashed 20 miles from the airport. ATC error in directing the plane in the wrong direction into mountainous terrain that was obscured by smoke and haze due to forest fires in the area. All 234 aboard were killed.
MNA241 = Merpati 241
BOU683 = Bouraq 683
GIA152 = Garuda 152
MEDAN = Medan Approach Control
GIA 152: Medan Approach, GIA152 passing 150.
MEDAN: GIA 152 radar contact 43 miles. Descent to 3000ft for Runway 05, reduce speed to 220.
GIA 152: Descend 3000for Runway 05. Reduce speed to 220 kts., GIA 152.
GIA 152: Approach, GIA 152, request reason to reduce speed above 10000 to 220kts.
MEDAN: OK Sir, your traffic departure sir, now start engine, release traffic departure at or before 27.
GIA 152: 152 like to maintain 210 kts… 250kts, and below 10000.
MEDAN: OK, it’s approved.
MNA 241: MNA 241 passing 10000.
MEDAN: MNA 241, your position now 11 miles on W-11. Contact 1212. Happy landing.
MNA 241: Selamat siang. Terima kasih. (Good afternoon. Thank you)
MEDAN: Any time.
GIA 152: GIA 152; 3000
MEDAN: GIA 152, maintain 3000ft for a while. Maintain heading Medan VOR. Traffic now still taxi Runway 23.
GIA 152: Maintain 3000.
MEDAN: Merpati 152, you turn left heading 240 vectoring for intercept ILS Runway 05 from right side. Traffic now rolling.
MEDAN: GIA 152 do you read?
GIA 152: GIA 152, say again?
MEDAN: Turn left heading a …… 240, 235. Now vectoring for intercept ILS Runway 05.
GIA 152: Roger, heading 235. GIA 152.
GIA 152: GIA 152 heading 235. Confirm we cleared from a ….. mountainous area?
MEDAN: Affirm sir! Continue turn left on heading 215.
GIA 152: On heading 215, GIA.
BOU 683: Good afternoon, approach. BOU 683 departed left turn
MEDAN: BOU 683 continue turn left on heading 120 initial 2000ft.
– line missing in transcript —
MEDAN: GIA 152, turn right heading 046, report established on localizer.
GIA 152: Turn right heading 040, GIA 152, check established.
MEDAN: Turning right sir.
GIA 152: Roger, 152.
MEDAN: 152, confirm you’re making turning left now?,
GIA 152: We are turning right now.
MEDAN: 152 OK, you continue turning left now.
GIA 152: A …… confirm turning left? We are starting turning right now.
MEDAN: OK …… OK.
MEDAN: GIA 152 continue turn right heading 015.
GIA 152: Aaaaaa. Allahu-Akbar.
source: PlaneCrashInfo.com
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[...] It remains the worst single-aircraft disaster in Indonesian history, and was the most deadly air disaster of 1997. It was the fourth highest death toll of any aviation accident involving an Airbus A300 after the crash of American Airlines Flight 587. source Wikipedia. More about Garuda Indonesia 1997 Crash [...]