Army light transporter overshoots in Bandung airport

BANDUNG (Antara): Low clouds hanging near Husein Sastranegara Air Force Base in Bandung forced Tuesday an Army CN-212-200 light transporter to overshoot during landing although there were no casualties.

The air base commander, Col. Dwi Djatmiko, said the accident took place at about 7:40 a.m. and believed it was caused by limited visibility due to low clouds.

"Clouds are usually found at no lower than 1,000 feet in normal condition but there were clouds below 1,000 feet.

"Low clouds obstruct the pilot, Capt. Yudianto, visibility toward the runway. The airplane was already at the end of the runway when he had clear view.

"The pilot forced the airplane to land making it overshoot and stopped in grass field some 100 meters from the runway's edge," said Dwi.

The forced landing caused the right landing gear to blow and had to be replaced before being evacuated at about 9:15 a.m. to a hangar belongs to state aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia.

The air base also serves civillian flights as well as serving as PT Dirgantara Indonesia's assembly plant and headquarters.

The ill-fated transporter flew from the Pondok Cabe airfield in Ciputat, Banten carrying soldiers from the 330th Raider Battalion of the Army's Strategic Command on parachuting training mission.

An Air Asia flight coming from Kuala Lumpur had to be directed to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Cengkareng, Banten at about 8:40 a.m. as workers were still evacuating the light transporter. (***)