On Aug. 11, a veteran Indonesian pilot pleaded not guilty to deliberately crashing a passenger jet last year, killing 21 people including four Australian officials and a journalist.

"It is impossible that with experience of 22 years as a pilot I would deliberately crash the plane," Marwoto Komar told a district court in Yogyakarta, Central Java.

"I didn't have any intention to carelessly do things to harm the passengers," he said, wearing his pilot's uniform.

With his voice trembling, he added: "God please allow me to fly again."

A government probe found Komar ignored 15 automated cockpit warnings not to land as he brought the plane in at roughly twice the safe speed, causing the jet to bounce and burst into flames in ricefields on Mar. 7 last year.

The four Australian government officials and journalist killed were following a visit by then-Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, who was on a separate plane.

Prosecutors last month charged Komar with three counts of negligence and one count of "deliberately" destroying or damaging an aircraft causing death, charges that carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Komar, who has a wife and two children, has had his pilot's license suspended. He was sacked by Garuda Indonesia in February. He is believed to be the first pilot to face criminal charges in Indonesia.