Controlled Flight into Terrain Archives

TSB Links Mechanical And Human Factors To Fort Smith Crash That Killed 6, Injured 1

Aviation Today News Desk / March 21, 2026

Fort Smith, Canada: The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has released its final investigation report into the January 23, […]

Jakarta, Indonesia: Indonesian authorities confirmed on Friday that all 10 victims from the fatal crash of an Indonesia Air Transport (IAT) ATR 42-500 turboprop aircraft have been recovered, concluding a seven-day search and rescue operation on the steep slopes of Mount Bulusaraung in South Sulawesi. The aircraft, registered PK-THT, disappeared from radar on January 17 while on a maritime surveillance mission for the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries. It was en route from Adisutjipto Airport, Yogyakarta, to Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in Makassar when contact was lost during its final approach. Rescue teams, comprising personnel from the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), military, police, and volunteers, faced rugged terrain, steep ravines, dense fog, and volatile weather throughout the operation. Bodies were found in scattered locations on the mountainside and transported to forensic specialists in Makassar for Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) procedures. By Friday morning, the 10th and final victim had been located, marking the official end of the recovery phase. Authorities expressed condolences to the families of the victims and reiterated support for identification and repatriation processes. A key breakthrough in the investigation came with the recovery of the aircraft’s cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) from the wreckage. A joint SAR team located both units intact in the tail section of the aircraft on January 21, despite adverse weather delaying initial access. Following extraction from the crash site, the devices were secured and transported to a checkpoint in Tompobulu village, before being handed over to the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT), Indonesia’s official air accident investigation authority. Basarnas Chief Air Marshal Mohammad Syafii confirmed that the recorders will be analyzed to reconstruct the sequence of events leading up to the crash. Earlier in the response, the KNKT classified the crash as a Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) incident, indicating the aircraft was under control when it impacted the mountain slope although classification does not imply pilot intent or assign fault. The investigation team has not yet publicly disclosed a definitive cause, citing the ongoing analysis of flight recorder data and other evidence. The ATR 42-500 turboprop was conducting a routine surveillance mission in support of fisheries and maritime resource monitoring when it vanished. Initial reports indicated 10 people on board, including seven crew members and three passengers from the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries. The mountainous crash zone spans portions of Maros and Pangkajene and Islands regencies, complicating early rescue efforts and driving a multi-agency coordinated response.

Investigation

Search Ends After All 10 Victims Are Found In Indonesia ATR-42 Crash In Sulawesi Mountains

Aviation Today News Desk / January 25, 2026

Jakarta, Indonesia: Indonesian authorities confirmed on Friday that all 10 victims from the fatal crash of an Indonesia Air Transport

Jakarta, Indonesia: Search and rescue teams in Indonesia have located the wreckage of a missing Indonesia Air Transport ATR 42-500 aircraft on the slopes of Mount Bulusaraung in South Sulawesi province, officials confirmed Sunday, as efforts intensify to find the remaining passengers and crew. The turboprop aircraft, chartered by Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries for an aerial surveillance mission, lost contact with air traffic control at about 1:17 p.m. local time on January 17 while en route from Yogyakarta to Makassar, authorities said. Rescuers detecting debris from the aircraft on Sunday morning narrowed the search zone to a steep, forested area inside Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park. Ground teams located scattered wreckage including what are believed to be parts of the fuselage, tail section and windows around the peak of the mountain at approximately 8:02 a.m. local time. Later in the afternoon, a male victim’s body was recovered from a ravine around 200 meters deep, surrounded by aircraft debris, Makassar’s National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) announced. The victim is being evacuated via a challenging climbing route amid fog and rain. The initial report said there were 11 people on board, including eight crew members and three ministry officials. However, later revisions by Indonesian authorities indicated 10 individuals were aboard comprising seven crew and three passengers. The identities of those aboard, including crew and ministry personnel, have not yet been publicly released. Among the passengers were government officials conducting fisheries surveillance, a ministry statement confirmed. Rescue operations involve hundreds of personnel from Basarnas, the Indonesian military, police, marine units, volunteers and other agencies. Teams are navigating extremely rugged karst terrain, thick fog and heavy winds that continue to slow progress. Basarnas officials have established a one-kilometer search radius around the crash site and divided the area into multiple search zones to improve coordination. Helicopters, drones and ground units are deployed across sectors to cover difficult-to-reach areas. Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) has been notified and is expected to lead the investigation, including efforts to locate and recover the aircraft’s flight recorders (black boxes). Investigators have not yet confirmed retrieval of the devices. Preliminary assessments suggest the aircraft may have crashed into terrain under control, known as “controlled flight into terrain,” though the exact cause of the accident remains under investigation.

Aircraft Crashes

Indonesia Plane Crashes With 10 On Board; 1 Body Recovered, Rescue Operations Underway

Aviation Today News Desk / January 19, 2026

Jakarta, Indonesia: Search and rescue teams in Indonesia have located the wreckage of a missing Indonesia Air Transport ATR 42-500

ICAO

ICAO Warns of Rising Air Safety Risks as Global Flight Activity Hits Record Levels

Aviation Today News Desk / August 27, 2025

Montreal, Canada: The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has sounded a strong warning on global air safety, highlighting rising accident

Controlled Flight into Terrain

TSB Links Mechanical And Human Factors To Fort Smith Crash That Killed 6, Injured 1

Search Ends After All 10 Victims Are Found In Indonesia ATR-42 Crash In Sulawesi Mountains

Indonesia Plane Crashes With 10 On Board; 1 Body Recovered, Rescue Operations Underway

ICAO Warns of Rising Air Safety Risks as Global Flight Activity Hits Record Levels

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