Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ-100)
The crash of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ-100) on Wednesday came as something of a shock to those in the flying profession and the airline industry. The plane, which left Jakarta’s Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, was doing a demonstration flight when it tragically slammed onto the steep slopes of Mount Salak in West Java.
The SSJ-100 is a Russian collaboration with European companies to produce a highly sophisticated 98-seat passenger airliner.
A Sukhoi Superjet 100 passenger plane was destroyed when it struck the side of a mountain during a demonstration flight over Indonesia. All 45 on board were killed.
The flight departed Jakarta-Halim Perdana Kusuma Airport (HLP/WIHH) at 14:00. It flew south and circled Mount Salak (elevation 7254 feet). After circling the mountain, the airplane began to descend from from 10,000 feet to 6,000 feet. Last contact with the flight was at 14:30. The wreckage was found the following morning on a near-vertical mountainside on the eastern side of Mount Salak at an elevation of 5,100 feet. There was no sign of survivors. Fatality index is presumed, not confirmed.
The Superjet was conducting a demonstration flight to prospective customers in several countries. Demonstrations were flown in Myanmar, Pakistan and Kazakhstan before arriving in Indonesia on May 9. Two demonstration flights were planned. The first flight was uneventful. Passengers on the second flight were reporters and representatives of several Indonesian airlines.
area crash
Rescue and Recovery teams are currently on their way to the crash site. First attempts to reach the crash site, including attempts to set rescuers down by helicopters, have failed so far (May 10th 17:45L) due to the extremely steep terrain rising at up to 85 degrees. About 450 rescue personnel are currently moving towards the crash site on the ground but did not reach the site before darkness. At this time (May 10th 17:45L/10:45Z) no rescuer has yet reached the site, the status of the occupants on board of the aircraft is still unknown. The rescue operation has been suspended for the night May 10 to 11th.
The coordinator of the rescue operation said, that the aircraft appeared relatively intact from the air however has received substantial damage after leaving a trail away from the crater down the slope, there was no sign of survivors from the air. Rescue teams are currently on the ground about 1km from the crash site, the terrain being difficult to reach the wreckage.
The Air Force said the aircraft impacted the edge of a cliff (top of the cliff at 6250 feet MSL) about 1.7 nm from Cijeruk. Approximate final position of the aircraft is S6.7102 E106.7447 (initially reported as S6.7045 E106.7373 but updated on May 11th taking the crash site from the western to the eastern cliff).
On May 12th Indonesia's Transport Minister said the black boxes have not yet been recovered, the search for them is under way.
