Hang-glider pilot killed in crash in Bogor

An experienced pilot flying a hang-glider with an ultra light engine, was killed in a crash in Cigombong village in Bogor, West Java, during a test flight on Monday.

The pilot, Renny Widodo, was a resident of Bekasi in West Java and was an experienced hang-glider pilot with 1,000 flying hours. These light aircraft are also called gantole in Indonesia. He was a member of the Indonesian Aerosports Federation (FASI).

“The test flight was meant to try the plane’s readiness to be used to monitor the Idul Fitri exodus,” flight instructor for West Java’s FASI, Gerhard Sitorus, told The Jakarta Post.

According to Gerhard, the 50-year-old pilot planned to depart from Lido in Bogor to Dawuhan in Cikampek, West Java, on Tuesday.

He added that in Dawuhan, a camera from a TV station would be installed on the aircraft to monitor the holiday exodus.

Gerhard, who was also a close friend of the victim, said that the plane went down on its second flight on that day.

“After the first flight, he told me the plane was in a perfect condition as all its [engine] plugs had been replaced with new ones,” he said.

Gerhard explained that its engine suddenly failed when Renny flew over the Lido Hotel.

“[The aircarft] went down at a very fast speed and finally crashed about 300 meters from the runway,” he added.

Bogor FASI Chief Col. Eding Sungkana said that the plane went down in a spiral movement from a height of between 500 and 1,000 meters.

“Our finding showed that the aircraft’s wings were probably damaged for some reason. The engine was probably fine as the plane was able to fly for a while before crashing,” said Eding, who was also Operation head for Atang Sandjaya Bogor Airfield.

The victim’s wife, Herlina, was shocked after seeing the body of her husband at the Indonesian Red Cross Hospital in Bogor.

“I never thought that my husband was dead.

“I drove him to the airfield and saw his first flight,” she said, adding that she received the news about the accident on her way home.