Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501 facts for kids

Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501 was a passenger flight that took off from Surabaya, Indonesia. Its destination was Singapore. On 28 December 2014, the airplane crashed into the Karimata Strait in the Java Sea, Indonesia. This happened during very bad weather. Sadly, all 162 people on board were killed.

What Happened to Flight 8501?

Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501 was flying an Airbus A320 aircraft. The flight departed from Juanda International Airport in Surabaya early in the morning. It was heading towards Changi Airport in Singapore.

About 40 minutes into the flight, the pilots asked for permission to climb higher. They wanted to avoid a large storm cloud. Air traffic control could not immediately approve this request because of other planes in the area.

Shortly after, contact with the plane was lost. It disappeared from radar screens. This caused a lot of worry and a large search operation began.

The Search and Recovery

Finding the Wreckage

A big search effort started right away. Many countries helped, including Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia. Ships and planes searched the area where the plane was last seen.

After a few days, parts of the plane and some debris were found in the Karimata Strait. This confirmed that the plane had crashed. The search then focused on finding the main parts of the aircraft and the flight recorders.

Locating the Black Boxes

The flight recorders, often called "black boxes," are very important. They record the pilots' conversations and the plane's flight data. Finding these boxes helps investigators understand what went wrong.

Divers and special equipment were used to find the black boxes on the seabed. Once found, they were sent for analysis. This analysis helped explain the final moments of Flight 8501.

Why Did the Plane Crash?

The official investigation found several reasons for the crash. The bad weather played a big role. The plane flew into an area with very strong thunderstorms.

Also, there were issues with the plane's systems and how the pilots reacted. The combination of these factors led to the plane losing control and crashing into the sea. This tragic event led to new safety rules for airlines and pilots.

Images for kids

• 

  An offshore supply ship with the tail of PK-AXC on its stern on 10 January 2015