[Watch] Batik Air Pilot Successfully Lands Aircraft In Severe Weather Conditions
Viral footage showed the Boeing 737 landing in a heavily tilted position that alarmed passengers and social media viewers.
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A Batik Air aircraft experienced a dramatic but controlled landing at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Saturday (28 June), during severe weather conditions that initially appeared concerning to observers.
The Boeing 737 aircraft, registration number PK-LDJ, was reported to have landed with its right wing tilted significantly lower than normal due to strong crosswinds.
Video footage of the incident that went viral on social media showed tense moments as the aircraft attempted to stabilise its position before successfully landing safely.
According to Batik Air spokesperson Danang Mandala Prihantoro, the aircraft landed during heavy rain, and all safety procedures were followed.
“The landing was completed safely and the aircraft sustained no damage,” he said in an official statement.
No Damage or Injuries Reported
The engineering teams conducted a thorough inspection of the aircraft and confirmed that it could return to normal operations.
No injuries were reported in the incident.
The extreme weather that hit Jakarta on the day of the incident also caused several other flights to circle in the air before being cleared to land.
This situation raised concerns among passengers and led to heated discussions about flight safety in adverse weather conditions.
However, aviation professionals offered a different perspective on the incident.
Aviation Experts: Landing Followed Standard Safety Procedures
While the dramatic footage sparked concern on social media, aviation professionals emphasised that the pilot executed a textbook crosswind landing technique during challenging weather conditions.
The aircraft’s pronounced tilt during approach, which appeared alarming to passengers and viewers, was a deliberate manoeuvre called the “sideslip” or “wing low” method, one of three approved techniques for landing in strong crosswinds.
“What looked dangerous to untrained eyes was actually proper procedure,” explained aviation safety experts reviewing the incident footage.
According to Boeing 737 operating manuals, pilots are trained to deliberately bank the aircraft into the wind during crosswind conditions, allowing the upwind wheels to touch down first and prevent the plane from drifting sideways across the runway.
The technique is considered safe when crosswind speeds remain within manufacturer guidelines, up to 40 knots (74 km/h) for wet runway conditions, such as those experienced during the Batik Air flight.
Di Lubuk Linggau sore tadi juga angin kencang, Pesawat Batik Air Jakarta-Lubuk Linggau CGK-LLJ tadi mencoba mendarat tapi angin kencang, akhirnya RTB. Ini kondisi cuaca di sekitar bandara, ada tenda hajatan sampai roboh pic.twitter.com/EuE1Hr9uhd
— Bocah Angon (@TorpedoNuklir) June 28, 2025
Parts of this story have been sourced from Detik News.
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