[UPDATED] Plane in Kapar crash overweight by 8.4%, air accident agency finds

KUALA LUMPUR – The Blackshape Gabriél BK160TR with the registration mark of I-POOC, which crashed in Kapar on February 13, exceeded its maximum take-off weight of 850kg by some 8.4% (71.3kg).

In the preliminary report released by the Air Accident Investigation Bureau today, the aircraft’s actual total weight had exceeded the maximum take-off weight limitation by approximately 8.4% for the accident flight.

“The BK160TR is a relatively weight-sensitive aircraft, and based on evidence, there is high probability that there were other flights flown by the late pilot previously that had also exceeded the limitation of the aircraft operating weight. 

“The probable flights that might have exceeded weight limitation are the long sectors flown during the overseas trips to Myanmar, the Philippines and Thailand that had two persons on board (POB) and heavy fuel loads. 

“There may also be other local flights that had exceeded weight limitation (two POB and heavy fuel loads), just like the flight on February 13.”

The report took into account that there was no luggage taken onboard and no significant change in the weight of either the pilot or passenger since the time that their weights were recorded.

Meanwhile, the report also confirmed eyewitness accounts that the aircraft broke up mid-flight.

“Site 1 is where the main wreckage and the bodies of the late pilot and passenger were located. 

“Sites 2 to 4 are where various aircraft debris were found. These various aircraft debris include large structural parts of the aircraft that were found scattered over an area of at least 500m away to the east of the impact point of the main wreckage. 

“Among the debris found at or near Site 3 were fragments of the cockpit canopy of various sizes and the passenger’s baseball cap, suggesting that the canopy had broken up in-flight before the aircraft impacted ground at Site 1.

“The distribution of the debris around the area at Sites 2, 3 and 4 strongly suggests that large structural parts had separated from the aircraft while in-flight before ground impact at the oil palm plantation. There was no sign of any pre-crash or post-crash fire on any of the debris found at all the sites.”

AAIB also concluded that the pilot was endorsed by the test pilot of the BK 160TR from Blackshape S.p.A, the manufacturer of the aircraft, to operate the BK 160TR, but not certified to instruct on the BK 160TR.

As for the 42-year old passenger and student pilot, he had never flown on the BK 160TR before the crash.

“Based on available history and physical examinations, the pilot and passenger had no known medical conditions that could pose significant hazards to flight safety,” according to AAIB.

The remains of the crash’s two victims, pilot Daniel Yee Hsiang Khoon, 31, and co-pilot Roshaan Singh Raina, 43, were found in the aircraft’s cockpit at a depth of 5ft in the ground at an oil palm plantation in Kg Tok Muda, Kapar. 

The post-mortem found that both victims died due to multiple injuries from the plane crash.– March 13, 2024