ABC.net Australia, "Malfunction suspected in Garuda Indonesia crash"

Aviation experts say human error is to blame for the great majority of crashes around the world, but some suggest that in this case it could have been a technical malfunction. While Indonesian airlines have a poor safety record, Garuda hasn't had a major crash in 10 years.

As Garuda flight 200 began its deadly descent, some passengers say they heard strange noises, others report seeing cabin staff rushing to their seats. And yet others say there was no warning, only the view from the windows of the ground rushing all too quickly towards them. So why did the pilot come in too hard and fast?

Chief correspondent for Orient Aviation Magazine Tom Ballantyne believes it was a technical problem. "It appears that the aircraft was already in trouble before it actually hit the runway. Just a few seconds before it hit the runway, but it was already in trouble, so I'm not sure that the actual landing itself caused the accident," commented Ballantyne. "I think something happened before that and if it was a fire, and there was smoke and fire in the cockpit, then obviously the pilots would have been in trouble actually trying to land the aeroplane with only a few seconds to spare."