KUALA LUMPUR – A Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) CN235 transport aircraft from No. 1 Squadron at the Kuching Air Base skidded during landing this morning due to a nose landing gear malfunction.
The RMAF confirmed that the aircraft encountered the issue while landing at Kuching International Airport (KIA) at 11.15am after completing a logistics flight from Labuan and Kota Kinabalu. A board of inquiry will be formed to determine the cause of the incident.
“All crew members and passengers are safe and did not sustain injuries,” it said in a statement.
The incident, which went viral on social media, forced the temporary closure of the runway to allow for aircraft removal and safety inspections.
Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) earlier confirmed that the runway was closed from 11.30am and later reopened at 2pm following a final inspection by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM).
Airlines including Batik Air and Malaysia Airlines reported delays due to the disruption. Batik Air said its flights were delayed but not cancelled, while Malaysia Airlines confirmed that flight MH3530 was delayed for about 45 minutes.
Passengers were advised to check with their airlines for updates as the closure had affected all flight operations at KIA.
Initial reports suggest one of the aircraft’s wheels may have detached during landing, though this has yet to be officially confirmed. – June 23, 2025