Wings Air aircraft type ATR 72-500 flight number IW 1156 was forced to land on Saturday morning at Mutiara SIS Aljufri airport in Palu only a few minutes after takeoff following apparent engine failure.
ings Air aircraft type ATR 72-500 flight number IW 1156 was forced landed on Saturday morning at Mutiara SIS Aljufri airport in Palu only a few minutes after takeoff following apparent engine failure.
The plane was heading to Syukuran Aminuddin Amir airport in Luwuk, Banggai, Central Sulawesi.
Airport aviation security officer Amiruddin Madjid said the plane's right engine experienced trouble seven minutes after takeoff.
One of passengers, Desiana Trisnawati Tobigo, told reporters that she heard an explosion in the plane's right wing.
"All the passengers panicked and demanded that [the pilot] land the plane. It took 10 minutes to get back to the airport, but it felt like forever," Desiana said.
A resident of Lasoani in Mantikulore district in Palu reportedly discovered parts of the exploded engine.
The plane was reportedly carrying 64 passengers.
Lion Air Group president director Edward Sirait confirmed the engine trouble, adding that the trouble was found by pilot Capt. Djoko Sriyono after takeoff. For safety reasons, the pilot decided to return to the base.
"The plane has been grounded and will be subject to a recheck," Edward said in a statement. (dmr)
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