PETALING JAYA – The ill-fated Beechcraft Model 390 private jet that crashed in the Elmina township, killing 10 people, near Shah Alam here veered off its flight path only minutes before it was scheduled to land at the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang today, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
During a press conference, Loke said a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the crash is currently underway.
Revealing the timeline and chain of events surrounding the incident, Loke said the aircraft had been granted permission to land by the air traffic officer on duty at the airport’s control tower.
Loke said the aircraft departed Langkawi at 2.08pm and headed for Subang, where it received landing clearance at 2.48pm. However, at 2.51pm, he said traffic controllers saw a plume of smoke billowing from the crash site.
“As the investigation is still ongoing, we are unable to speculate on potential causes. Upon receiving the preliminary report, we were informed that the aircraft veered to the right of the designated path during landing. It’s important to note that permission to land had indeed been granted,” he told the media at the airport in Subang this evening.
“Approximately three minutes following this communication, smoke was sighted emanating from the aircraft. The incident is under thorough investigation, and the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) has confirmed that no emergency landing was requested.”
“We appeal for patience and cooperation during this trying time.”
Also present were Datuk Hussein Omar Khan and CAAM chief executive officer Datuk Captain Norazman Mahmud.
In the meantime, Loke said the ministry’s Air Accident Investigation Division has been dispatched to the crash site to locate and retrieve the aircraft’s black box.
The investigation aims to shed light on the circumstances that led to the crash.
Earlier, Hussein confirmed that at least 10 people had died in the incident, including a high-profile individual. Among the casualties, eight were occupants of the light aircraft – six passengers and two crew members.
The two others killed were a motorcycle rider and a motorcar user.
Loke said that while the identities of the victims have been determined based on the manifest obtained, police are currently conducting post-mortem and forensic examinations to confirm the matter.
Information regarding the two civilians involved will be released by the authorities in due course, he added.
The passengers who were on board have been identified as Pahang executive committee member and Pelangai assemblyman Datuk Seri Johari Harun, Khairil Azwan Jamaludin, Shaharul Amir Omar, Mohamad Naim Fawwaz Mohamed Muaidi, Muhammad Taufiq Mohd Zaki, and Idris Abdol Talib@Ramali.
The other two victims were the pilots, namely Shahrul Kamal Roslan and Heikal Aras Abdul Azim, while the identities of the two motorists involved are still being confirmed by police.
“At this time, we can only provide manifest information for the passengers and crew members. The identity of the motorcyclist victim remains unconfirmed until we receive official confirmation from the relevant authorities,” Loke explained. – August 17, 2023