An Indonesian Air Transport ATR 42-500 (PK-THT) has crashed while on approach to Makassar Airport in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The aircraft was conducting a marine surveillance mission, not a revenue passenger flight, and had departed Yogyakarta. It is believed to have impacted the peak of Mount Bulu Saraung, at approximately 5,100 ft, at 13:17 local time. There are no reported survivors among the 11 people on board.
Indonesia’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) stated that the aircraft had been cleared for an approach to runway 21, but air traffic control observed that the aircraft was flying an incorrect approach profile. ATC attempted to contact the crew to redirect the aircraft onto the correct approach path, but radar and radio contact were lost approximately 11 nautical miles from the airport.
At the time of the accident, the weather at Makassar Airport was reported as 9,000 metres visibility, rain showers in the vicinity, winds from the west at 10 knots, and scattered cumulonimbus clouds at 1,700 ft AGL. This weather report, issued 17 minutes prior to the crash, does not indicate any significant weather phenomena that would typically be associated with a loss of control event. However, conditions may have differed 11 nautical miles away in mountainous terrain.
Unconfirmed reports of wreckage sightings have since emerged online, including photographs reportedly taken by local climbers. Search and rescue teams have been deployed to access the suspected crash site, with operations expected to continue throughout the night.
All at AirlineRatings offer our condolences and thoughts to all those affected.
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