Airbus A320 - 216 accident near Pangkalan Bun, Id, December 28, 2014
On December 28, 2014 at about 6:18 am local time, a Airbus A320 - 216, registered PKAXC, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (change of cruise level) near Pangkalan Bun. 162 people were killed.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 2014 · about 6:18 am local time
- Place
- Pangkalan Bun, Indonesia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 162 people were killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Airbus A320 - 216 216 · all A320 - 216s on the register
- Registration
- PKAXC · no longer on the register · serial 3648
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
The National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC) of Indonesia, has notified the NTSB of an accident involving an Airbus A320-216 that occurred on December 28, 2014. The NTSB has appointed a U.S. Accredited Representative to assist the NTSC investigation under the provisions of ICAO Annex 13 as the State of Manufacturer and Design of the aircraft engines. All investigative information will be released by the NTSC.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Unknown or undetermined during enroute (change of cruise level) defining event
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Not recorded
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 4 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 156 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.