TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Transportation (Ministry) plans to question Lion Air pilot Ghozali after the plane he flew missed the runway during a landing at Ngurah Rai Airport, Bali, Saturday (4/13). "We will conduct an investigation related to flight procedures. The pilots will be questioned regarding the incident," Transportation Ministry spokesman Bambang Ervan, told Tempo Sunday (4/14).
The Boeing 737-800 that crashed at the end of the runway was still undergoing the process of evacuation on Sunday. The 101 passengers survived, although some suffers injury. Bambang said the Ministry and the National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC) is still investigating the incident.
According to Bambang, Ghozali's pilot license could be revoked if he was proven to made flight procedure errors. However, Bambang asserted that the public should not cast the blame on the pilot before the evidence proofs that he was in fact responsible for the crash.
Chairman of NTSC Subcommittee Masruri said that his team still currently unable to conclude whether the pilot should be held accountable or not. He stated evidence and information from both Lion Air and the Ngurah Rai airport air traffic control (ATC) are still being gathered. The team also had not deduced whether the incident was weather-related or not.
Meanwhile, airport director of Lion Air Captain Daniel Putut informed that Ghozali and his copilot Chirag Carla are grounded for two weeks for inspection purposes. After the suspension, both men will be rehired only if they passed the training process.
ALI NY | ANANDA TERESIA | KETUT EFRATA
