Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. The National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) has classified the crash of an ATR 42-500 aircraft in South Sulawesi as a Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) incident after the plane struck Mount Bulusaraung.

“Based on initial findings, this is categorized as CFIT, meaning the aircraft was still under pilot control when it hit the mountain slope,” KNKT Chairman Soerjanto Tjahjono said on Sunday (18/1/2026), as cited by antaranews.com.

The aircraft, operated by Indonesia Air Transport, went down while approaching Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport on Saturday, impacting terrain in the Bulusaraung mountain range on the Maros–Pangkep border. The collision caused the fuselage to break apart, scattering debris across steep terrain.

KNKT stressed that the crash was not deliberate and that investigators are still examining flight data, weather conditions, and operational factors to determine the cause. No conclusions on pilot error or technical failure have been made.

The accident involved 10 people on board, including crew members and government officials. Search and rescue teams have recovered debris and one victim, while operations continue in difficult terrain.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)