Reuters AlertNet Lite - Investigator denies cockpit row in Garuda crash

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Investigator denies cockpit row in Garuda crash

02 Apr 2007 08:27:13 GMT
Source: Reuters

JAKARTA, April 2 (Reuters) - There was no argument between the pilot and co-pilot of a Garuda Indonesia plane that crashed on landing in Yogyakarta last month killing 21 people, a top investigator said on Monday.

Tatang Kurniadi, the chief of Indonesia's National Transport Safety Commission, said in an Australian television programme aired at the weekend that cockpit voice recordings from the passenger jet showed the co-pilot wanted the pilot to go around again instead of landing, but they had no time for the manoeuvre.

Some media reported that his comments suggested the flight crew had argued during the landing.

"It is untrue that there was an argument," he told a news conference on Monday when asked about his comments on Australia's Nine Network. "I did not say anything like that."

"The result of the investigation will come out in two weeks. Investigators will not jump into conclusions," said the retired air marshal.

In Sunday's interview, Kurniadi said the captain and first officer were flying together for the first time.

In the interview on Nine Network carried on its Web site (http://ninemsn.com.au/), Kurniadi appears to say "there was also some argumentation between the co-pilot and the pilot, the captain, relating with the speed and flaps".

Survivors of the crash have described how the aircraft approached the runway in Yogyakarta at a "crazy" speed. It had 140 people on board when it overshot and then burst into flames.

Five Australians were among the casualties. They were part of the group who had been accompanying Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, who was not on board the ill-fated plane, on a visit to Indonesia.

Australians have also helped identify the victims and investigate the cause of the crash landing.

Indonesia has suffered a string of transport accidents in recent months, including an Adam Air aircraft that disappeared in January with 102 passengers and crew on board and a ferry sinking in late December in which hundreds died.

Rapid growth in air travel in Indonesia, a country of more than 17,000 islands, has raised questions over whether safety has been compromised and whether the infrastructure and personnel can cope with the huge increase.

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Last updated:Mon Apr 2 08:29:04 2007