Garuda Indonesia B737 Flight Grounded After Fuel Leak Discovered During Takeoff

Garuda Indonesia, the national flag carrier, has addressed a concerning incident involving a fuel leak from one of its aircraft at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta.

The incident, which occurred on August 24, 2024, quickly gained attention after a video of the fuel leak went viral on social media. The flight in question, GA 174, was scheduled to depart from Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK) to Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport (PKU) in Pekanbaru.

The incident took place around 11:50 local time as the Boeing 737-800, registered PK-GFW, was preparing for takeoff. The video, shared by musician Kunto Aji on Instagram, shows a significant fuel leak from the aircraft.

In his Instagram story, Kunto Aji expressed relief that the flight had not taken off, writing, “Astaghfirullah (May Allah forgive me), my plane is leaking like this; fortunately, it was discovered, so we didn’t fly.” His post quickly captured public attention and raised concerns about the safety of air travel.

Garuda Indonesia CEO Irfan Setiaputra responded to the incident, explaining that the leak was discovered by the pilot in command during a routine safety check of the jet fuel levels before departure. This procedure is a critical part of the pre-takeoff safety management manual.

Setiaputra detailed that upon discovering the fuel leak, the flight crew made the decision to return the aircraft to the apron for a thorough inspection. The pilot’s swift action ensured that the aircraft did not proceed with the flight, prioritizing the safety and security of the passengers and crew.

“The PIC, upon learning of the issue and also receiving visual reports from a passenger, decided to Return to Apron (RTA) for a thorough inspection,” Setiaputra added. “This decision was made to address the fuel spill or overflow indications and to ensure the highest safety standards.”