In the aftermath of the tragic plane crash in Shah Alam, Transport Minister Anthony Loke has called on authorities to expedite the investigation into the incident and determine its root cause. The crash involved a Beechcraft Model 390 aircraft that erupted into a fireball upon impact, claiming the lives of all eight individuals on board and two bystanders. As Malaysian air accident investigators analyze the recovered cockpit voice recorder (CVR), concerns arise over the flight’s erratic behavior prior to the disaster.
Malaysian authorities are actively probing the catastrophic crash of a light plane near the capital, a calamity that resulted in the untimely demise of eight passengers and two individuals on the ground. The aircraft, identified as a Beechcraft Model 390, violently burst into flames upon colliding with the ground in Selangor state, situated to the west of Kuala Lumpur. Videos captured the harrowing event, depicting thick plumes of black smoke billowing from the crash site.
Among the victims were six passengers and two flight crew members, alongside two motorists navigating the four-lane road where the catastrophe unfolded, Malaysian law enforcement reported.
In a press conference held on Friday, Transport Minister Anthony Loke conveyed that the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) – retrieved the preceding evening – was undergoing meticulous analysis as part of the ongoing investigation. The CVR, instrumental in capturing cockpit conversations and auditory cues, holds the potential to unveil crucial insights into the tragedy. Minister Loke emphasized the imperative of a swift and exhaustive inquiry, pledging to release findings to the public once the analysis reaches fruition.
Notably, the ill-fated aircraft, akin to certain other small planes, exclusively featured a cockpit voice recorder, lacking a flight data recorder, as stated by Malaysian police chief Razarudin Husain on Friday. Husain further outlined that search operations, nearing completion at “95 percent,” were slated to conclude imminently, having successfully recovered all human remains.
Reportedly departing from the scenic island of Langkawi, the aircraft was en route to Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Selangor at the time of the incident. Civil aviation authority chief Norazman Mahmud revealed that the plane exhibited erratic flight patterns before succumbing to disaster. Eyewitness Mohamad Syahmie Mohamad Hashim, a former Malaysian air force member, recounted observing the aircraft’s turbulent maneuvers preceding a deafening explosion. Hashim, who rushed to the scene, recounted discovering aircraft fragments and a harrowing sight – a “human body on fire.”
Elaborating on the circumstances leading up to the catastrophe, Transport Minister Loke indicated that the aircraft had been granted clearance for landing but deviated from the designated flight path, veering significantly to the right before the crash occurred.
Coincidentally, the vicinity of Thursday’s tragic incident held historical significance as a location of aviation tragedy. In 1977, a Japan Airlines plane destined for Singapore met a similar fate near the present-day crash site. While 45 occupants survived that incident, the crash claimed the lives of 34 individuals, a somber reminder of the perils aviation can entail.