The aircraft did some flights during a promotional tour in Indonesia.
We are not sure whether these are the passengers or crews of the flight that crashed.
God bless them.
Both pilots of the ill-fated superjet are known as Alexander and considered among the best pilots in Russia. This superjet is also equipped with latest state of the art technology including radar system that can easily detect terrains including mountain. But accidents do happen. God Bless their Souls.
Latest update : There were no survivors.
Indonesia Rescuers Reach Crashed Russia-Made Plane
Indonesian rescuers reached a Russian-made Sukhoi SuperJet 100 that crashed on a remote mountainside yesterday during a promotional flight. There were no signs of survivors among the 45 people onboard.
Authorities will start airlifting the crash victims back to Halim Perdana airport this afternoon, once a helicopter landing site is cleared, Gagah Prakoso, a spokesman for the National Search and Rescue Agency, said at the airport today. About 600 people, including military and police, have been deployed in the search since late yesterday, he said.
A photo released by Indonesian Air Force, shows the wreckage of the missing Sukhoi SuperJet 100, scattered on the mountainside in Bogor, West Java, Indonesia.
The aircraft’s black box is yet to be found and the plane was probably not transmitting signals when it crashed, Prakoso said.
The plane disappeared off radar yesterday about 20 minutes after takeoff, while carrying reporters and potential customers.
Russia opened a criminal probe into the crash, Interfax said, citing the country’s Investigative Committee.
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev also ordered an investigation by the Industry Ministry, Foreign Ministry and state-controlled planemaker United Aircraft Corp.
The SuperJet is spearheading attempts to revive Russia’s aerospace industry, which has languished since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.
The wreckage is about 5,800 feet up Mount Salak in West Java, Daryatmo, the head of Indonesia’s search and rescue agency, said earlier today. The crash site is about six hours’ walk from the agency’s command post in Cidahu, he said.
The SuperJet disappeared after the crew asked air-traffic control for permission to descend to 6,000 feet from 10,000 feet, he said. The pilots didn’t explain the change of course. The weather was slightly rainy and there were no obvious signs of trouble, he said.
The plane was on an Asian sales tour, which had included stops in Myanmar, Pakistan and Kazakhstan. Further appearances were planned in Laos and Vietnam, Olga Kayukova, a spokeswoman for Sukhoi owner United Aircraft, said.
The planemaker also intended to send staff to Indonesia to support rescue and investigation efforts.
The twin-engine regional jet, which can carry about 100 people, was developed with Finmeccanica SpA (FNC)’s Alenia Aeronautica SpA. It has an operating range of as much as 4,578 kilometers (2,845 miles).
The aircraft is a challenger to regional jets built by Bombardier Inc. (BBD/B) and Embraer SA. (EMBR3), as well as to models being developed by Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China and Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp.
Sukhoi said the jet had gone through a full pre-flight check and displayed the “proper technical condition.” There also hadn’t been any problems during an earlier flight the same day, it said in a statement on its website.
The jet was commanded by a “very experienced crew” consisting of Chief Test Pilot Alexander Yablontsev and co-pilot Alexander Kochetkov, it said.
Russia’s aviation industry has sought to overcome the image of outdated aircraft prone to accidents.
The country suffered 99 deaths after five jetliner accidents through late September 2011, according to the most recent figures available from researcher Ascend Worldwide Ltd.
Following an accident last year in 2011 when a plane carrying the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl hockey team failed to gain altitude, Medvedev, who was then president, said Russia might turn to foreign aircraft producers to ensure safety of air travel.
The age of Russia’s domestically manufactured single-aisle aircraft fleet is between 25 years and 30 years, while the U.S. fleet averages about 13 years, according to figures published late last year by Ascend, a London-based aviation consultant.
Development (EASTW) and capital costs for the SuperJet were about $1 billion, according to Fairfax, Virginia-based Teal Group, with another $1 billion for the engines and customer support. The list price is $28 million. The plane had 170 orders in total, according to Teal. Sukhoi itself has not disclosed order numbers.
Customers include Armenia’s Armavia and Russia’s flagship airline OAO Aeroflot, and the eight aircraft in service for two carriers have accumulated more than 3,500 flights. PT Sky Aviation, an Indonesian carrier, has ordered 12.
The plane, which seats five abreast, uses engines built by PowerJet, a venture between Snecma, a unit of Safran SA (SAF), and NPO Saturn. Safran’s Messier-Dowty unit also provides the integrated landing gear system, with B/E Aerospace providing the doors. Italy’s Avio provides the gearbox for the propulsion systems and Safran’s Aircelle unit provides the engine nacelles.
God rest those souls who perished in that Sukhoi Superjet 100 Crash in Indonesia.
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