REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BATAM -- A training plane belonging to the Flybest Flight School caught fire at Batam's Hang Nadim International Airport, an official said.

The plane, a Cessna 152 PK-KFB variety, bounced twice while landing on the runway, after which the front wheel broke and caught fire.

"While landing, the plane's body bounced twice (on the runway) due to strong winds. The first bounce caused the airplane to shake and tilt. After rising again, it dropped hard on its front, hitting the runway. This led to sparks and a fire," an authority at the airport, Suwarso, said here on Tuesday.

According to him, the training plane, piloted by Flybest student Sean Calper (19), was on a routine flight training exercise, which started around 7 a.m., from Hang Nadim International Airport in Batam to the Raja Ali Fisabilillah Airport in Tanjungpinang.

"(Landing and taking off again) is part of a pilot-in-training's routine activity. However, since winds were blowing at some 16 knots at that time, the plane felt the jerks and shook, which led to the accident at 10.35 a.m.," he explained.

After the incident, the student, who has a private pilot license for 140 hours, ejected from the plane, escaping traumatized but unharmed.

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