Indonesian military plane crashes in Central Java, killing pilot

Indonesian military plane crashes in Central Java, killing pilot

2012-01-07 10:25:18 GMT+7 (ICT)

JOGJAKARTA, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) -- An Indonesian pilot was killed on Friday when a military plane crashed on the island of Java, officials told a local newspaper. There were no other people on board the aircraft.

The accident happened when a training aircraft belonging to the Indonesian Navy crashed into a rice paddy in Jetis, which is located in the Magelang District of Central Java. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft dip at low altitudes twice before crashing.

The pilot of the aircraft was the only person on board the plane, which was a 1970-built Charlie 5D3417i. Navy spokesman Aman Yunus told the Jakarta Globe that the pilot did not survive and identified him as Captain Ali Mustofa.

Yunus said the cause of the accident was not immediately known. The aircraft, which was broken into several pieces during the crash, had been flying from the city of Solo to Jogjakarta on a trial run. Parts of the cockpit landed just outside a house.

Colonel M Khairil Lubis, the Flight Education Wing Commander at the Adisucipto Naval Base, said all training aircraft will be grounded for an inspection as a result of the accident.

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