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The Aviation Herald Last Update: Thursday, May 10th 2012 04:45Z

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Crash: Sukhoi SU95 over Indonesia on May 9th 2012, aircraft impacted mountain

By Simon Hradecky, created Wednesday, May 9th 2012 10:31Z, last updated Thursday, May 10th 2012 0 4:45Z

A Sukhoi Sukhoi Superjet 100-95, registration RA-97004 performing a demonstration flight from Jakarta Halim

Perdanakusuma Airport to Jakarta Halim Perdanakusuma Airport (Indonesia) with 40 passengers, 6 crew and 2 Sukhoiofficials, was enroute near Mount Salak and Bogor about 36nm south of Jakarta about 30 minutes into the flight whenthe radio contact with the aircraft was lost. The aircraft did not turn up at Jakarta or any other airport in the area. Theaircraft wreckage was found by a helicopter the following morning (May 10th) at about 09:15L (02:15Z) on the slopesof Mount Salak at an elevation of about 5300 feet MSL.

Rescue and Recovery teams are currently on their way to the crash site.

The coordinator of the rescue operation said, that the aircraft appeared relatively intact from the air however hasreceived substantial damage after leaving a trail away from the crater down the slope, there was no sign of survivorsfrom the air. Rescue teams are currently on the ground about 1km from the crash site, the terrain being difficult to reachthe wreckage.

The Air Force said the aircraft impacted the edge of a cliff (top of the cliff at 6250 feet MSL) about 1.7 nm fromCijeruk. Approximate final position of the aircraft is S6.7045 E106.7373

Indonesian Authorities reported the aircraft was enroute at 10,000 feet near Mount Salak when at about 15:30L(08:30Z) the crew requested and was cleared to descend to 6,000 feet. This proved to be the last radio transmission.Radar contact was lost when the aircraft was in a right hand turn descending through 6,200 feet between Mount Salakand Mount Gede at approximate position S6.72 E106.72. The aircraft was flying clockwise around Mount Salak at thattime. A search operation has been initiated and is mounting, first search flights on May 9th did not yet found any traceof the aircraft. Search on the ground is under way, a first team has departed for Mount Salak in the evening, a secondground team is expected to depart on May 10th early morning, more than 600 ground personnel have been deployedby sunrise May 10th.

Sukhoi reported the aircraft registration RA-97004 (MSN 95004) was piloted by a very experienced crew that alsoflew the first prototype of the aircraft, the commander had more than 10,000 hours total. The crew did not report anyanomaly and did not issue a distress call prior to the aircraft disappearing. The aircraft had already concluded anotherdemonstration flight earlier the day. The accident aircraft had accumulated 800 flight hours in more than 500 cycles,there had been no serious technical problems since its first flight in 2009.

Mount Salak is 2,211 meters/7254 feet high, nearby Mount Gede is 2,958 meters/9,705 feet high.

At 15:30L the local weatherstation in Bogor reported visibility at 9000 meters (increasing to 10000 meters in the nextreading), temperature at 31 degrees C, dew point at 25 degrees C, humidity 70% and winds arund 5 knots fromnortheast, no precipitation. In the morning the weatherstation had reported low visibility around about 2000 meters.

Crash site (Photo: Lystseva Marina):

The aircraft in Jakarta on May 8th 2012:

Detail Map (Graphics: AVH/Google Earth):

Map (Graphics: AVH/Google Earth):

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