Merpati Nusantara Airlines Flight 516

Merpati Nusantara Airlines Flight 516
A Merpati Nusantara Airlines DHC-6, similar aircraft to the one involved the crash
Accident
Date29 March 1977
SummaryControlled flight into terrain caused by pilot error
Site
Aircraft
Aircraft typede Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300
OperatorMerpati Nusantara Airlines
IATA flight No.MZ516
ICAO flight No.MNA516
Call signMERPATI 516
RegistrationPK-NUP
Flight originMutiara Airport, Palu
DestinationLalos Airport, Tolitoli Regency
Occupants23
Passengers20
Crew3
Fatalities13
Survivors10

Merpati Nusantara Airlines Flight 516 was a domestic commercial passenger 50-minutes flight, flying from Mutiara Airport, Palu to Lalos Airport in Tolitoli Regency, Indonesia operated by a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300.[1]

The aircraft crashed into Mount Tinombala in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Killing 13 people on board.[2]

Aircraft

Accident

Aftermath

The accident was made in to a book named as The Tinombala Incident.[3] Following the accident, M. Aminudin A. wrote a story script on the crash which was subsequently adapted into a 116-minute film titled Operation Tinombala.[a] It was directed by M. Sharieffudin and starred W. D. Mochtar and Tutie Kirana.[4] A photo exhibition about the crash was held on march 29, 2022.[3]

Notes

  1. ^ Indonesian: Operasi Tinombala

References

  1. ^ "Komunitas Historia Sulteng peringati 45 tahun tragedi Gunung Tinombala" (in Indonesian). Antara Sulteng. 29 March 2022. Archived from the original on 21 April 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  2. ^ "Pada 1977, Twin Otter Jatuh di Tinombala" (in Indonesian). Liputan 6. 14 May 2012. Archived from the original on 29 August 2025. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  3. ^ a b beritapalu (2022-03-29). "Pameran Foto Mengenang Tragedi Jatuhnya Pesawat Merpati di Gunung Tinombala". beritapalu.ID. Retrieved 2025-09-05.
  4. ^ Wijaya, Situr (20 December 2020). "STORY : Pesawat Merpati Jatuh di Pegunungan Tinombala Sulteng, 13 Penumpang Tewas - InSulteng - Halaman 3" [STORY: Merpati Plane Crashes in the Tinombala Mountains, Central Sulawesi, Killing 13 Passengers]. iNSulteng.id (in Indonesian). p. 3. Retrieved 8 September 2025.