JAKARTA: (Bernama) The pilot of an Air Tractor AT-802 operated by Pelita Air Service, was killed when the utility aircraft crashed in Long Bawan, North Kalimantan, Indonesia on Thursday (Feb 19).
The single-seat aircraft reportedly had just completed a fuel delivery mission to Long Bawan and was returning to Juwata International Airport in Tarakan when the crash occurred at around 12.25 pm local time, according to Syahril, the head of the Tarakan Search and Rescue (SAR) team.
"According to the preliminary details, witnesses saw the aircraft descend at an angle toward the hills behind the runway before it crashed approximately five kilometres from the end of runway 22 at Long Bawan’s Yuvai Semaring Airport,” he said, in a statement.
Shortly after the accident was reported, SAR teams were deployed to the suspected crash site and found the wreckage.
The pilot was discovered lifeless and was taken to a nearby hospital.
Authorities said an investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing. - Bernama
