24 Nov 2011

Pilot killed in Papua plane crash

12:23 pm on 24 November 2011

One pilot is dead after a light plane crash in Indonesia's Papua province.

The Jakarta Globe reports a Spanish national died on his way to a hospital in Timika, but a New Zealand pilot survived.

A Papua police spokesman Senior Commander Wachyono says the plane was attempting to land at Sugapa airport when it was forced to abort the landing because there were people on the runway.

The crash is the latest in a string of aviation accidents to hit Indonesia, and the second in 10 weeks involving Susi Air.

A Susi Air Cessna crashed in mountainous terrain in Papua in September, killing the pilot and co-pilot.