Two killed as helicopter crashes a er mid-air collision with another
KUALA LUMPUR: Two light helicopters on a training flight collided in mid-air close to noon yesterday, resulting in one crashing in Taman Melawati, Ampang, here and killing the two men on board.
Police identified the dead as the pilot, Mohamed Sabri Baharom, 56, who had been with the Royal Malaysian Navy, and passenger Mohd Irfan Fikri Mohamed Rawi, 41, a businessman.
The other helicopter, also carrying two people, managed to land safely at a nearby school ground. On board were former Malaysian Airline System Berhad CEO Datuk Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, 66, the pilot, and a woman passenger, Tan Chai Eian, 51.
The accident happened at 11.50 am during fine weather while the 9M-HCA and 9M-HCB aircra of the G2CA type, belonging to the My Heli Club, were flying from the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang to Genting Sempah.
The bodies of Mohamed Sabri and Mohd Irfan Fikri were sent to the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital (HUKM).
Ahmad Jauhari and Tan were slightly injured in the incident.
Ampang Jaya Police chief ACP Muhammad Farouk Eshak, speaking to reporters at the scene, said initial investigation indicated that the two helicopters had collided in the air and that the ma er has been le to the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) to probe.
The police and fire-fighters cordoned off the crash site and stopped reporters from ge ing close to the wreckage.
The wreckage was subsequently removed from the site with the use of a low-loader trailer truck.
Ahmad Jauhari and Tan were seen leaving the site at about 3 pm in a police vehicle.
Several people of the nearby housing estate said they heard a loud bang at the time of the crash and thought it was a car accident at the Taman Melawati main road.
“However, when I ran out of my house to check, I found a crashed blue helicopter,” said Muhammad Taufik Rosli, 24, who lives along Jalan M4 in Taman Melawati.
Puteri Nur Ilani Ismail, 25, who was looking for herbs about 500 metres from the site, claimed to have seen the collision and crash.
“I was near the Bukit Mas traffic circle here at about 11.30 am and saw two flying helicopters. All of a sudden, the red helicopter hit the tail of the blue helicopter, causing it (the blue helicopter) to snap,” she said.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said the Air Accident Investigation Bureau of the ministry has begun a technical probe into the crash. He said based on ICAO Annex 13, an initial investigation report will be prepared within 30 days from the date of the air accident.
“The main objective of the investigation is to determine the circumstances and cause of the accident with an aim to safeguard lives and prevent future accidents.
“In this regard, the investigation to be initiated is not to apportion blame nor liability,” he said in a statement.
Wee said the investigating team issue a full report of the findings, which will include recommendations for improvements toward be er civil aviation safety, once the entire investigation is completed.
He said the government will use these findings as a basis to form future recommendations for holistic improvements to the country’s civil aviation industry.
According to Wee, the Kuala Lumpur Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (KL ARCC) had subsequently been activated to provide all necessary rescue coordination efforts.
Meanwhile, according to a source from the Transport Ministry, flight training activities, including those conducted under private companies, are not restricted during the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) period.
“This is because it (flight training) is not listed under the activities which are prohibited..flying schools can operate according to the SOP (standard operating procedures),” the source said in a brief response to Bernama when asked on the ma er. Checks by Bernama on the SOP for transportation found that general aviation services including the operation of businesses and private jets were allowed during the CMCO.-Bernama