Several questions arose following the crash of Sriwijaya Air flight SJ-182 on Saturday (9/1/2021), including the possible cause of the accident.
By
KOMPAS EDITOR
·3 minutes read
Several questions arose following the crash of Sriwijaya Air flight SJ-182 on Saturday (9/1/2021), including the possible cause of the accident.
However, the sadness and worry of the victims’ families come first. Our deepest condolences to the families of the passengers and crew aboard the plane. Hopefully, the victims can be found quickly and the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) can start investigating the causes of the crash.
In connection with this incident, we also express our appreciation for all parties, from the Indonesia Military (TNI), especially the Navy, to the Transportation Ministry, the airline and insurance companies, as well as the KNKT and the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) for mounting an immediate search-and-rescue (SAR) operation.
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, only traveling for an emergency is allowed. We are more affected by this tragedy in this sense, as the plane’s passengers were already taking the risk of contracting the coronavirus in order to travel, which was more troublesome than in usual times due to the health protocols.
We also appreciate our airlines that continue to provide services during the health emergency, despite the sharp decline in passenger numbers. We can imagine the dilemma they face: If they stop flying, they will have no income, whereas they can only carry a limited number of passengers if they continued their services.
Beyond the business dilemma, the reduced flight frequency may have also caused technical issues. According to Air Marshal (ret) Chappy Hakim, the chairman of the Air Power Center of Indonesia (APCI) and a former Air Force Chief of Staff (KSAU), the US Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) had warned that various Boeing 737 variants could potentially experience engine failure if they were not operated for seven or more consecutive days.
Boeing reportedly issued an emergency advisory to all Boeing 737 aircraft operators around the world. Although local weather conditions may differ, operators and local aviation authorities generally follow up on notifications from the aircraft manufacturer.
While there may be a variety of possible reasons for the crash of Sriwijaya Air flight SJ-182, we must leave the opportunity to the KNKT to discover the most probable cause of the plane accident.
It could be said that the plane was old, because many airlines upgrade their fleets every five to seven years.
The public often believe that the age of an aircraft is the key safety factor, and the Boeing 737-500 aircraft that operated the Sriwijaya Air flight, registered as PK-CLC, was produced in 1994 and was thus 26 years old. It could be said that the plane was old, because many airlines upgrade their fleets every five to seven years. However, we are reminded that an aircraft is still airworthy if it is maintained according to existing procedures.
We are discussing this issue while mourning because we, as a nation, will continue to be a major air transport consumer although the pandemic has hampered our aviation industry. We must continue to be careful and thorough in operating commercial aircraft.
We convey our hope for the best to the victims of flight SJ-182, and we must investigate this accident. The investigation is not to find blame, but to prevent a similar accident from happening again.
(This article was translated byHendarsyah Tarmizi).