"We do not know much about the details of the investigation."
Samarinda (ANTARA News) - The National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC - KNKT) will be conducting an immediate investigation into the crash of the PA-31 Piper Navajo Chief Tain plane owned by PT Intan Angkasa, an official said on Monday.

"Two committee members are scheduled to arrive in Samarinda today to investigate the Piper crash," Rajoki Aritonang, the chief of the city`s Temindung Airport said.

He however, admitted that he is uncertain about the time slated for the beginning of the investigation.

"We do not know much about the details of the investigation, except for the fact that the committee will be carrying out an inquiry right away," Aritonang added.

The investigative team constituting committee members was appointed on Saturday, but it decided to delay its inquiry because the plane had not been found by that time.

The wreckage of the American aircraft made in 1978 was found on the slopes of Mayang Hill in the East Kutai district on Sunday at around 5:25 p.m.

The three passengers and pilot aboard the flight were found dead, and their bodies were transferred to the AW Sjahranie hospital in Samarinda on Monday morning at around 2:55 a.m. for the identification process.

The PA31 Pipe Navajo chieftain type aircraft, which belonged to PT Intan Angkasa, had been chartered by Elliot Geophysics International for mapping a coal mining area in Bontang in East Kalimantan and lost contact with air traffic control at around 8:04 a.m. on Friday.

The survey aircraft was being flown by Captain Marshal Basir and had three passengers on board namely, Peter John Elliott, the general manager of Elliot Geophysics International, Jandri Hendrizal, a surveyor and a Captain Suyono from the Defense Ministry.

The plane took off from the Temindung airport in Samarinda on Friday at around 7:51 a.m. and was confirmed missing at about 1:51 p.m.

"The plane was expected to fly for four hours and return to Temindung at around 12:00 p.m. to refuel for another six-hour flight," the airport's air traffic leader Rora Ardian said.

The plane reportedly flew at a height of between 500 feet to 3,000 feet over the survey area in Bontang.

However, several minutes after taking off the plane lost contact and is believed to have crashed in an area designated as a national park.
(U.A050/INE/KR-BSR/F001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012