Findings:
1. The flight was planned under IFR.
2. The planned flight route itself was not a published airway.
3. The Minimum Off Route Altitude (MORA) for the planned flight route was 13,200 ft.
4. The Minimum Safe Altitude (MSA) from HLM VOR/DME was 6,900 ft. The radius of MSA was 25 Nm from HLM VOR/DME
5. The flight altitude was 10,000 ft.
6. The flight crew asked to descent to 6,000 ft. The ATC cleared the flight to 6,000 ft.
7. The flight requested orbit to the right at 6,000 ft. It was approved by the ATC.
8. The radar display indicated when the aircraft asked for orbit, its position was over the Atang Sanjaya Training Area.
9. The area was about 17 Nm southwest from HLM VOR/DME.
10. The flight impacted with terrain on radial 198 HLM VOR/DME at 28 Nm at approximately 6,000 ft.
11. The crew and passenger manifest was carried on board the aircraft. No copy was available on the Ground Handling agency.
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Da sind wohl beide Seiten recht locker mit den Flughöhen umgegangen, wie der Funkverkehr vermuten lässt:
The pilot repeated the request for descend to 6,000 feet.
Subsequently, Jakarta Approach controller responded and acknowledged the request by replying ‘6,000 copied’.
The pilot replied: “Descend to 6,000 feet”.
At 0728 UTC, the pilot contacted Jakarta Approach controller to request for making right orbit.
The Jakarta Approach controller approved the flight to make orbit to the right at 6,000 feet.
According to the controller on duty statement, the radar display indicated that the aircraft was over WI(R)-4 Atang Sanjaya Training Area when asking for the orbit.
The WI(R)-4 airspace area extending from ground to 6,000 feet.
The area was about 17 Nm southwest from HLM VOR/DME.
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Es ist für mich immer wieder überraschend, dass solche Risiken von Leuten eingegangen werden, die aus ihrer langen beruflichen Erfahrung heraus wissen müssten, keine solchen "mutigen" Manöver in fremden Terrain (und bei eingeschränkter Sicht) zu fliegen. Und welch tragische Rolle spielt hier der Controller?