1971 Indian Ocean Vickers Viscount crash
Encyclopedia
On 10 November 1971, a Merpati Nusantara Airlines
Vickers Viscount
, registration PK-MVS, crashed in the Indian Ocean
off the coast of Padang
, Sumatra
, Indonesia
, after telling air traffic control
lers they could not make their destination due to bad weather. All 69 people aboard the aircraft were killed in the crash.
At the time, the accident was the worst in the history of Indonesia; it is today the ninth worst aviation accident in Indonesian history. It remains the third worst Vickers Viscount accident.
in Jakarta
, Indonesia
, and Tabing Airport
, the former airport of Padang
, Indonesia. Five minutes before it was scheduled to arrive at Padang, air traffic control
lers lost radio contact with the flight. Controllers at Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Airport
, Palembang
, Sumatra
, reported the aircraft issued a distress signal
from the aircraft. The flight crew reportedly said they could not land at Padang because of poor weather and bad visibility. The aircraft subsequently crashed into the Indian Ocean
, killing all 62 passengers and seven crew aboard the aircraft.
doctor and his wife, and a British
helicopter
pilot who was employed in Indonesia. Eight children were also aboard the flight.
, Indonesia. Fisherman found seats of the aircraft between the Beringin and Katang-Katang islands. An Indonesian Navy
boat also recovered clothes and uninflated life rafts.
Merpati Nusantara Airlines
Merpati Nusantara Airlines is a commuter airline based in Central Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia. It is a major domestic airline operating scheduled services to more than 25 destinations in Indonesia, as well as scheduled international services to East Timor and Malaysia. Its main base is...
Vickers Viscount
Vickers Viscount
The Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
, registration PK-MVS, crashed in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
off the coast of Padang
Padang, Indonesia
Padang is the capital and largest city of West Sumatra, Indonesia. It is located on the western coast of Sumatra at . It has an area of and a population of over 833,000 people at the 2010 Census.-History:...
, Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, after telling air traffic control
Air traffic control
Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
lers they could not make their destination due to bad weather. All 69 people aboard the aircraft were killed in the crash.
At the time, the accident was the worst in the history of Indonesia; it is today the ninth worst aviation accident in Indonesian history. It remains the third worst Vickers Viscount accident.
Accident
The aircraft was flying between Kemayoran AirportKemayoran Airport
Kemayoran Airport, also spelled Kemajoran Airport, was the principal airport for Jakarta, Indonesia, from 8 July 1940 until March 31, 1985, when it was replaced by Soekarno-Hatta International Airport...
in Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, and Tabing Airport
Tabing Airport
Tabing Airport was an old airport in Padang serving the province of West Sumatra before the opening of the new Minangkabau International Airport which opened in July 2005. Now Tabing is being used as the military base for Indonesian Air Force....
, the former airport of Padang
Padang, Indonesia
Padang is the capital and largest city of West Sumatra, Indonesia. It is located on the western coast of Sumatra at . It has an area of and a population of over 833,000 people at the 2010 Census.-History:...
, Indonesia. Five minutes before it was scheduled to arrive at Padang, air traffic control
Air traffic control
Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
lers lost radio contact with the flight. Controllers at Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Airport
Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Airport
Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Airport in Palembang, Indonesia is an international airport serving the city of Palembang, South Sumatra and surrounding areas. The airport is located in the region KM.10 Sukarame District...
, Palembang
Palembang
Palembang is the capital city of the South Sumatra province in Indonesia. Palembang is one of the oldest cities in Indonesia, and has a history of being a capital of a maritime empire. Located on the Musi River banks on the east coast of southern Sumatra island, it has an area of 400.61 square...
, Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
, reported the aircraft issued a distress signal
Mayday (distress signal)
Mayday is an emergency procedure word used internationally as a distress signal in voice procedure radio communications. It derives from the French venez m'aider, meaning "come help me"....
from the aircraft. The flight crew reportedly said they could not land at Padang because of poor weather and bad visibility. The aircraft subsequently crashed into the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
, killing all 62 passengers and seven crew aboard the aircraft.
Passengers and crew
All the passengers aboard the aircraft were Indonesian nationals, except for a GermanGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
doctor and his wife, and a British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
pilot who was employed in Indonesia. Eight children were also aboard the flight.
| Nationality | Fatalities | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passengers | Crew | ||
 Indonesia |
59 | 7 | 66 |
 Germany |
2 | 0 | 2 |
 United Kingdom |
1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 62 | 7 | 69 |
Aftermath
Three days after the accident pieces of the wreckage were found floating 75 miles off SumatraSumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
, Indonesia. Fisherman found seats of the aircraft between the Beringin and Katang-Katang islands. An Indonesian Navy
Indonesian Navy
The role of the Indonesian Navy is to patrol of Indonesia's immense coastline, to ensure safeguard the territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone , to protect Indonesia's maritime strategic interests, to protect the islands surrounded Indonesia and to defend against seaborne threats. The TNI...
boat also recovered clothes and uninflated life rafts.
See also
- List of accidents and incidents involving the Vickers Viscount
- List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft
- 1971 in aviation1971 in aviationThis is a list of aviation-related events from 1971:- Events :* The Peruvian Army reestablishes Peruvian Army Aviation.-January:* January 6 - The United States Marine Corps takes delivery of its first AV-8 Harriers...