Palembang - Medan

On July 11, 1979 at 07:00 PM, Palembang - Medan experienced a crash involving Fokker F28 Fellowship, operated by Garuda Indonesian Airways, with the event recorded near Mt Sibayak North Sumatra.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a mountains crash site.

61 people were known to be on board, 61 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 57, passenger fatalities: 57, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The Fellowship christened 'Mamberamo' departed Palembang Airport at 1732LT on a schedule flight to Medan. After the crew was cleared for an NDB approach to runway 05 at Polonia Airport, he started the descent in a limited visibility. While descending at an altitude of 5,560 feet by night, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Sibayak (2,194 meters high) located about 38 km southwest of Medan-Polonia Airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed upon impact and all 61 occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration PK-GVE, MSN 11055, year of manufacture 1972.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 3.2394°, 98.5048°.