Indonesia Restricts MA-60 Operations

Posted 24/05/2011

The Indonesian Transport Ministry has temporarily banned local carrier Merpati Nusantara Airlines from operating its Xian MA-60 turboprop aircraft into three airports in East Nusa Tenggara.  It claims that the operation of the aircraft at Frans Sales Lega Airport in Ruteng, an airport in Ende and Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport in Waingapu cannot be guaranteed until a further safety evaluation of the type is completed.  “The three airports have high obstacle rates, and a lot of maneuvering is required to get there,” Air Transport Director Herry Bhakti Singoyuda has been quoted as saying by the Indonesian press.

The ruling comes following a safety audit of the carrier after one of its Chinese-built MA-60s crashed in West Papua, killing all 27 people onboard earlier this month.  The audit tested the aircraft's airworthiness, maintenance program, airworthiness documents, records of replaced components, technical problems, equipment requirements, flight logs, repair and modification work documentation, as well as other aircraft systems.  As a result ten aircraft have been cleared for operation, while two others have undergone immediate maintenance.  “Two of these planes are still on aircraft on ground status,” Herry Bhakti Singoyuda added.

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