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C-130 Hercules plane crash, Java Island, Indonesia: 98 Dead

by Amy Judd | May 19, 2009 at 05:47 pm

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98 people are dead in after an Air Force Hercules plane crash on Java Island, Indonesia May 19, 2009. Among the dead are 11 crew members and several residents of the Java Island community who were in their homes on the ground at the time the plane crashed.

The C-130 Hercules aircraft, identification number A-1325, crashed as it was preparing to land at the Iswahyudi military airbase in Magetan, East Java. The Hercules plane crashed into a near by rice field after it went into distress upon approach.

Most of the 98 dead were passengers on board the C-130 Hercules plane. 15 survivors are currently being treated at Dr. Sudono General Hospital in Madiun, East Java; 10 are in critical condition and 5 have minor injuries.

The death toll in the Air Force Hercules plane crash that happened at Geplak village in Magetan, East Java, at about 6:20 Wednesday morning reached 98 as of 2 in the afternoon, an Air Force spokesman said...

The dead victims included 11 crew members, a ranking Air Force officer, Air Commodore Harsono, and his wife, and three residents of Geplak village whose houses were hit by the ill-fated Hercules plane when it crashed.

The Hercules plane left Halim Perdanakusuma military airbase in Jakarta at 05.30 a.m. carrying 110 passengers and 11 crew members, Samudra said, noting that the US-made plane had a capacity for 120 passengers and 17 tons of cargo.

Source: antara.co.id

Background on the Lockheed C-130 Hercules plane

The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft built by Lockheed. It is the main tactical airlifter for many military forces worldwide. Over 40 models and variants of the Hercules serve with more than 50 nations...

Capable of takeoffs and landings from unprepared runways, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport aircraft. The versatile airframe has found uses in a variety of other roles, including as a gunship, for airborne assault, search and rescue, scientific research support, weather reconnaissance, aerial refueling, maritime patrol and aerial firefighting. The Hercules family has the longest continuous production run of any military aircraft in history. During more than 50 years of service the family has participated in countless military, civilian and humanitarian aid operations.

Source: en.wikipedia.org

Original Breaking News Post: May 19, 2009

A military plane with 109 people aboard has crashed into four homes in Indonesia's East Java Island. Two people have been confirmed dead.

Metro TV is reporting that the two fatalities are from the ground.

The plane was completely destroyed upon impact and only the tail is left intact. It was flying from Jakarta to eastern Java, when it appears to have missed Iswahyudi air force base, and instead struck houses in the town of Geplak; it was on a routien training mission.

A plane with 109 people on board has crashed into four homes in Indonesia's East Java island. At least 2 fatalities confirmed.

At least 68 people have been confirmed dead that were on the airplane.

At least two people died on the ground when the Hercules came down near Madiun, hitting houses before skidding into a rice field where it caught fire.

"About 15m of the tail is still intact but the body to the front is broken and burnt," said a local official named Suwardi in the district of Magetan.

"Earlier we heard blasts but not anymore, now the plane is still on fire."