Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) chief of staff Air Marshall Imam Sufaat has ruled out human error in the crash of the TNI AU’s Hawk 200 fighter jet in Riau on Tuesday.

“Most likely it was due to mechanical failure, because the pilot ejected. If a pilot ejects, he or she must have felt something wrong [with the aircraft], which lead to an emergency situation,” Imam told the press at the Presidential Office on Tuesday.

 The British-made Hawk 200 jet crashed in a residential area on Jl. Amal, Pandau Jaya village, Siak Hulu district, Kampar regency in Riau during a routine training mission.

The pilot, Second Lt. Reza Yori Prasetyo, ejected and made a safe landing as the aircraft went down and burst into flames.

Eyewitness Jasrul, 42, of Marpo-yan Damai, said area’s residents were used to hearing the roar of fighter jets because the area was a common flight path during military exercises. However, the incident was different from previous exercises, in that an explosion was heard mid-flight.

“People scattered as one of two low-flying planes began to emit smoke from its tail, crisscrossed in the air and then the pilot ejected as it descended, out of control,” Jasrul said at the crash site.

According to him, residents immediately rushed to the pilot, who fell into the bushes near a fish pond at the back of a house. After freeing him from his parachute, they carried Reza to a house.

“He did not sustain any injuries but his face was pale. We were shocked to see the pilot could walk by himself because he ejected from the plane at quite a low altitude,” he said.

“The pilot was immediately evacuated the moment TNI AU personnel arrived at the location. After the fire was extinguished, they covered the wreckage with tarpaulin,” said Jasrul.

A commotion occurred when TNI AU personnel arrived at the site. Five reporters, who were covering news of the incident — Didik Herwanto (Riau Pos daily), Andika Pratama (Vokal daily), F.B. Rian Anggoro (Antara news agency), Robi Fahrianto (Riau TV), and M. Arifin (TV One) — were beaten and kicked and their cameras seized.

Bystanders who took pictures of the wreckage with their cell phones were also targets of brutality by the TNI AU personnel, including Mancon Fernando, 21, a student of Riau Islamic University, who suffered bleeding from the mouth after being assaulted by the soldiers and having his cell phone seized.

“I got four stitches on my lip and had to pay for the medical expenses, which cost me Rp 144,000 [about US$16]. I don’t accept this treatment and demand to know who is responsible,” he said.

Local residents also raised protests because they were not allowed to pass the site of the crash on their way home. They were several times engaged in arguments with soldiers who were securing the location.

“This is a residential area and no one has the right to stop us from passing,” said Sugiri, a local resident.

Air base commander Col. Bowo Budiarto said he had not instructed his men to carry out repressive actions to cover up the incident. He said the violence was sparked by miscommunication, as TNI AU personnel were required to secure the location so as to prevent any casualties from the civilian side.

“On behalf of my unit, I apologize. Those who feel they have been disadvantaged, please come directly to the base,” he said.

The fighter jet was part of two squadrons of Hawk 200s. The aircraft in question was bought in 1994.

Imam said all the rest of the squadron had been suspended from flying, pending the completion of an investigation into the crash.

Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto said the incident would be investigated by the TNI AU’s Work and Flight Safety Agency.

TNI AU plane crashes:

2012
 

• January
 Training plane T-34 Charlie crashes at Kedungsari in Magelang, Central Java. One dies.
• June
 Fokker 27 A2708 plane belonging to the TNI AU crashes at Rajawali housing complex near Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in East Jakarta. Ten die: seven passengers and three residents of the complex.

2011
• April
A TNI AU glider crashes in a sugarcane plantation in Brebah, Sleman, Yogyakarta. Flight instructor First Sgt. Ninang Siwiyono and cadet Sgt. Habibut Rohman are killed.

2009
• April
 A Fokker F-27 medium transport plane with tail number A-2703 crashes into a hangar when trying to land at an air base in Bandung, West Java, during heavy rain. The plane had just returned from a parachuting training session when the accident took place at Husein Sastranegara Air Force Base. The plane’s six crew members and 18 soldiers from the TNI AU’s Special Forces (Paskhas) are killed in the accident.

Sources: The Jakarta Post, Kompas, Tempo.co

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