"We will investigate what has happened," he said after attending a roll call for troops assigned to secure the visits of VVIP who will attend the commemoration of Asian-African Conferences 60th anniversary in Bandung on Thursday.
He alleged that the F-16 Fighting Falcon Block 52ID aircraft met the accident because of technical problems which led to malfunction.
"The F-16 malfunctioned. Thank God the pilot is safe," he said.
He said the F-16 aircraft was about to fly to conduct exercise including activity to secure the AAC.
"It is like warming up," he said.
The pilot of the ill-fated F-16 aircraft, identified as Lieutenant Colonel Firman Dwi Cahyono survived the accident.
Dwi Cahyono who is also the commander of the Roesmin Noerjadin Air Force Bases 16 Air Squadron in Pekanbaru, Riau province, ejected from the aircraft as the accident occurred.
He has clocked over two thousand flight hours on the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
The F-16 failed to take off and caught fire due to an engine failure.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
