AVIATION/ INDONESIA NTSC UPDATES ON MERPATI FL8968

Indonesia's NTSC has issued its 1st Preliminary Report into the crash of MERPATI NUSANTARA Flight 8968 at Kaimana, Indonesia, on May 7, 2011. All 25 passengers and crew onboard the Xian MA60 were killed when the aircraft impacted water, just short of the runway at Kaimana. In their Report, the NTSC said that the carrier's standard operating procedures required a minimum visibility of 5000 meters and a cloud ceiling of 1000 feet AGL or higher for a visual approach. When Flight 8968 prepared for departure from Sorong, Indonesia, the crew received weather information indicating visibility was at 8000 meters, rain in the area, with a cloud ceiling of 1400 feet at 4 octers. Winds were from the SE at 6 knots and a temperature of 29 degrees C. During the approach to Kaimana Airport, reported visibilities were between 3000 and 8000 meters, overcast cloud base at 1500 feet with cumulonimbus cloud and rain, and winds were from the SWat 3 knots. At 1:30pm, local time, the aircraft descended through 15500 feet towards Kaimana and were requested by controllers to report again 5 minutes before overflying the aerodrome. At 1:42pm, the crew reported 7 miles out at 8000 feet. The crew asked for weather conditions, and were told that it was still raining. The crew then decided to enter a holding south of the aerodrome, entering the holding 15 miles S of the aerodrome at 5000 feet. At 1:50pm, the crew asked again for the weather conditions and were told that the visibility was 2000 meters but the threshold runway 01 could be seen from the tower. This was the last radio contact with the aircraft. Shortly thereafter, the Xian impacted water 800 meters SW of the threshold to the runway 01 and about 550 meters from the beach. Most of the aircraft debris sank to a depth of 7-15 meters. All 25 occupants of the aircraft including 2 Pilots, 2 Flight Attendants, 2 Airline Technicians, 16 adult passengers, 1 child and 2 babies died in the crash. All bodies were recovered by May 11. The Xian was destroyed. The Flight Data Recorder was retrieved on May 9 and the Cockpit Voice Recorder on May 10. The Recorders were read out successfully and the NTSC said the recordings do not suggest any technical malfunction of the aircraft. The NTSC obtained information that the runway lights at Kaimana were provided exclusively for 1 Airline operator, but the Report does not say which carrier. The NTSC has issued the following safey recommendations, to be implemented immediately, as a result of the findings from the FDR and CVR:
1. Merpati should ensure that flights under visual flight rules should be conducted in accordance with visual flight rules and in proper visual meteorological conditions only. Simulator training should be provided to MA60 crews with respect to crew resource management in bad weather conditions.
2. The Civil Aviation Authority should monitor the implementation of the above recommendation
3. The Civil Aviation Authority should review policies of use of the Kaimana Airport facilities, especially runway lighting, in order to improve flight safety during low visibility.
The NTSC investigation into the crash of Flight 8968 continues.