A Pelita Air Service Air Tractor 802 aircraft, registered PK-PAA, tragically crashed in the remote hills of Long Bawan, Nunukan Regency, North Kalimantan, on Thursday, February 19. The aviation community mourns the loss of its pilot, Captain Hendrick Lodewyck Adam, who was confirmed deceased in the incident.
The alarming incident was brought to light when a Susi Air PK-BVN aircraft, operating in the vicinity, intercepted an urgent distress signal. According to Syahril, Head of the Tarakan SAR Office, this critical signal, originating from an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT), was detected at 12:27 WIT from the direction of the runway’s end. ELTs are vital safety features aboard aircraft, engineered to automatically emit a unique emergency signal upon experiencing a severe impact, thus facilitating rapid detection in the event of an aviation accident.
Following the crucial ELT alert, a swift and coordinated search and rescue operation was immediately launched. Syahril further reported that by 13:25 WIT, a dedicated joint team had successfully located the wreckage. This collaborative effort involved personnel from the TNI AU (Indonesian Air Force), Koramil (District Military Command), and invaluable support from the local community, underscoring the rapid response to the tragic Pelita Air Service plane crash.
Summary
A Pelita Air Service Air Tractor 802 aircraft (PK-PAA) tragically crashed in the remote hills of Long Bawan, Nunukan Regency, North Kalimantan, on Thursday, February 19. The pilot, Captain Hendrick Lodewyck Adam, was confirmed deceased in the incident.
The alarming event was brought to light when a nearby Susi Air PK-BVN aircraft intercepted an urgent distress signal from the Pelita Air plane’s Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) at 12:27 WIT. Following this critical alert, a swift search and rescue operation was immediately launched. A joint team, including TNI AU, Koramil, and local community support, successfully located the wreckage by 13:25 WIT.