Lion Air Defends Unreported Tech Issue Prior to JT 610 Crash

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Lion Air Operational Director Daniel Putu stated that the carrier is not obliged to report the damage of JT 610 aircraft to the Transportation Ministry since the damages were fixed. 

“We fixed the technical problems and it was in good condition to fly, we did not need to report it to the Ministry,” said Daniel Putu.

The National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) revealed that prior to the demise of Lion Air’s Boeing 737 MAX 8 at the Tanjung Karawang sea, the aircraft experienced technical issues in its airspeed instrument throughout four flights. This revelation was based on the aircraft unit’s recovered flight data recorder (FDR). 

This issue was not reported by Lion Air management to the Transportation Ministry’s air transportation directorate general and it was confirmed by the ministry’s official, Avirianto to Tempo on Tuesday, November 6.

Despite a revised regulation, Avirianto said that carriers still need to report any issues that hampers any flights such as the one experienced by the ill-fated Lion Air JT 610. “Any serious issues experienced by an aircraft must be grounded, the [carrier’s] inspector should have reported it to the Ministry,” said Avirianto.

MAYA AYU PUSPITASARI | CHITRA PARAMAESTI | RYAN DWIKY ANGGRIAWAN