10 May,Indonesia: A Merpati plane carrying 46 people landed hard, slamming both engines onto the runway at an airport in eastern Indonesia on Monday, and an airport official said some passengers were injured but no one died.
The Chinese-made Xian MA60 twin turboprop aircraft was operated by state-run Merpati Nusantara Airlines. It was landing at El Tari airport in the East Nusa Tenggara capital of Kupang, said airport authority head Imam Pramono. He said the flight originated from Bajawa on Flores island, on Indonesia’s eastern edge.
Witnesses said at least eight people were injured and all were rushed to an air force hospital. The airport will be closed until the plane can be removed, Pramono said.
The cause of the hard landing is under investigation, but photos show both engines tilted down onto the runway while the nose gear appears to be missing.
In May 2011, another MA60 aircraft flown by Merpati crashed into the ocean off eastern Indonesia, killing all 25 people on board.
Indonesia is one of fastest growing air travel markets in Asia, but the country has a troubled past when it comes to air safety. In May, a Lion Air plane belly-flopped into the ocean just shy of the runway off the resort island of Bali, and all 108 people aboard survived.
The cause is still under investigation, but a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Committee has urged the budget carrier to immediately address safety concerns by providing more training for pilots during critical landing times.
In 2007, the Europe Union banned all Indonesian airlines due to a lack of compliance with international safety rules. It has lifted restrictions for some carriers as improvements are made, but Lion Air and Merpati remain on the blacklist.
– AP
