KUALA LUMPUR – There was “overdue” action by the air traffic controller on duty when a training aircraft crashed in a plantation area in Sungkai, Perak, this morning, the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) said.
“Overdue action was taken by the Duty Controller when the aircraft failed to make a position report over Bidor,” CAAM said in a statement.
The aircraft, a Cessna 172N Skyhawk with two people on board, took off from Sultan Azlan Shah Airport, Ipoh at 7.54am.
Its last transmission was received by the KL Air Traffic Control Centre while flying over Slim River, some one and a half hours later, at 9.35am.
Noting the “overdue action by the duty controller”, CAAM said rescue operations were only activated about 40 minutes later, at 10.15am upon news of the crash.
“The Kuala Lumpur Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre at the KLATCC was activated at 10.15am upon receiving information on the crash for the coordination of rescue operations and both persons were rescued.
“Further investigation will be conducted by the Air Accident Investigation Bureau under the Transport Ministry.”
There were no fatalities and the two victims onboard have been sent to Slim River Hospital.
CAAM said the aircraft, with registration number 9M-ADA, was operated by Layang Layang Flying Academy.
The crash site is near Felda Gunung Besout in Sungkai.
Earlier, Perak police chief Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri told Bernama the crash occurred at 9.55am.
Video on social media earlier showed the aircraft with its nose in the ground and a woman pleading for help.
Other videos showed rescue personnel hiking up a slope in a forested area and one of the victims on a stretcher prior to being taken to hospital. – May 4, 2024