2026 Indonesia Air Transport ATR 42 crash
 The search and rescue team near the crash site | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 17 January 2026 |
| Summary | Crashed into terrain on approach; under investigation |
| Site | Near Bulusaraung mountain, South Sulawesi, Indonesia 04°55′48″S 119°44′52″E / 4.93000°S 119.74778°E |
 | |
| Aircraft | |
.jpg) PK-THT, the aircraft involved in the accident, seen in 2025 | |
| Aircraft type | ATR 42-500 |
| Operator | Indonesia Air Transport on behalf of Directorate General of Marine and Fisheries Resources Surveillance |
| Registration | PK-THT |
| Flight origin | Adisutjipto Airport, Yogyakarta, Indonesia |
| Destination | Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport, Makassar, Indonesia |
| Occupants | 10[1] |
| Passengers | 3 |
| Crew | 7 |
| Fatalities | 10[2] |
| Survivors | 0 |
On 17 January 2026, an ATR 42 operated by Indonesia Air Transport crashed while flying from Adisutjipto Airport to Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in Indonesia. Air traffic control reportedly lost contact with the flight in the South Sulawesi area, and the aircraft was ultimately found to have crashed in the Bulusaraung mountain area.[3][4][5] All ten people on board were killed. Burning wreckage was found in a remote area.[6]
This incident has involved a large search and rescue operation that involves the National Search and Rescue Agency, AirNav Indonesia, Indonesian Air Force, the local government, and surrounding community.[7]
Aircraft
[edit]The aircraft involved in the accident was an ATR 42-512 with the manufacturer serial number 611 and was registered as PK-THT. The aircraft was 25 years old at the time of the accident, having first been delivered in 2000 to Air Dolomiti until it was acquired by the airline in 2010. The aircraft was owned by Indonesia Air Transport, and it was operating the flight on behalf of the Indonesian Directorate General of Marine and Fisheries Resources Surveillance.[8] The aircraft carried three directorate staff and seven crew members.[9]
Accident
[edit]Sources report that the aircraft was not on the correct flight path during approach.[10] The aircraft made its last contact with ATC at a distance of about 20 km (12 mi) from its destination airport, at 1:37 pm local time. Local residents reported, around the time the aircraft went missing, witnessing an explosion and seeing smoke in Mount Bulusaraung, located inside the Bantimurung–Bulusaraung National Park in Pangkajene and Islands Regency, South Sulawesi.[11][12]
Search and rescue
[edit]Rescue teams were searching the area where the aircraft wreckage was located.[13] Ground teams and helicopters were involved in the operations. Search efforts were complicated by adverse weather conditions in the area.[14] Hikers in the area found debris that could belong to the crashed aircraft.[15]
The crew of the rescue helicopter found debris of the aircraft's window at 7:46 WITA on 18 January 2026. At 7:49, large parts of the aircraft were discovered, with the tail section seen at the bottom of the mountain slope. Search and rescue operations are still underway.[1] At least three bodies were discovered, including one in a ravine 500 meters from the peak of the mountain.[11][16][12]
Investigation
[edit]On 21 January, both of the aircraft's flight recorders were found in the wreckage. They will be sent soon to the National Transportation Safety Committee for analysis.[17]
See also
[edit]- Trigana Air Flight 267 - another ATR 42 that crashed into terrain in Indonesia
- List of aviation accidents and incidents in Indonesia
References
[edit]- ^ a b Teresia, Ananda (18 January 2026). "Indonesia finds wreckage of missing surveillance plane carrying 10, one body". Reuters. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ^ Seluruh Jenazah Korban Pesawat ATR Telah Ditemukan (in Indonesian)
- ^ antaranews.com (17 January 2026). "Pesawat ATR hilang kontak di Maros dalam tahap pencarian". Antara News (in Indonesian). Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ^ Liputan6.com (17 January 2026). "Pesawat ATR 42-500 Hilang Kontak di Maros, Kemenhub Kasih Penjelasan". liputan6.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 21 January 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Pesawat ATR 42-500 keluar jalur penerbangan sebelum jatuh di Sulsel, kata KNKT". BBC News Indonesia (in Indonesian). 18 January 2026. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ^ Robles, Carlos (17 January 2026). "Indonesian ATR 42-500 plane goes missing; debris reported on mountain". BNO News. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ "Detik-detik Jatuhnya Pesawat ATR yang Disewa KKP di Sulawesi Selatan, Begini Cerita Saksi Mata". Tribunsumsel.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ^ White, Jaedyn (17 January 2026). "Chartered Air Indonesia Transport ATR Crashes in Indonesia". Airways News. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ "Indonesia searches for missing plane with at least 10 on board". Al Jazeera. 17 January 2026. Archived from the original on 17 January 2026. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ^ "Indonesia launches search for missing ATR plane in South Sulawesi". Antra. 17 January 2026. Archived from the original on 17 January 2026. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ a b Hradecky, Simon (17 January 2026). "Crash: IDA AT42 near Makassar on Jan 17th 2026, aircraft collided with terrain". The Aviation Herald. Archived from the original on 17 January 2026. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ a b "Indonesia rescuers find body from plane crash". France 24. 18 January 2026. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ^ "A regional passenger aircraft with 11 people is missing in Indonesia and a search is underway". AP News. 17 January 2026. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ "Plane Disappears Near Makassar, Search Hampered by Bad Weather". Jakarta Globe. 17 January 2026. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ Hanlon, Tim (17 January 2025). "Indonesia plane vanishes after 'loud explosion' sparking major search for aircraft". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ "Rescuers find second body from Indonesia plane crash". Arab News. 19 January 2026. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
- ^ "Penyebab Kecelakaan Pesawat ATR 42-500 Jatuh di Makassar Segera Terungkap". Liputan 6. 21 January 2026. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
