Indonesian aviation authorities have found that human factors and a series of small technical problems involving air traffic control led to the crash of Sukhoi Superjet 100 S/N 95004 on May 9 near Jakarta, killing 45 people. Investigators concluded that the cockpit crew of the ill-fated demonstration flight, unaware of the mountainous area surrounding their flight path, disregarded an alert from the airplane’s terrain awareness and warning system (Taws). The report also notes that the Jakarta radar service had not established the minimum vectoring altitudes and lacked a functioning minimum safe altitude warning for the particular area surrounding the crash site on Mount Salak. Finally, says the report, prolonged conversation not related to the progress of the flight distracted the flight crew and resulted in the pilot’s inadvertently exiting a right orbit he had requested and for which he had received ATC approval.
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