Yet another Training Aircraft Crashes in Malaysia

The logo of the Kuala Lumpur Flying Academy (KLIFA)
can be seen on the remains of the tail fin of the crashed aircraft

KLIFA is touted as:-

It seems to have been yet another case of a crash caused engine failure.

1. Will a thorough investigation be carried out?
2. Will the outcome be made public?
3. Will the investigation of all other crashes of training aircraft be made public?

Most likely the answer to the above three questions will be NO!

1. Will the status quo remain?
2. Will this type of tragic incident recur?

The answer to these two questions will, sadly, most likely be YES.

Accountability & transparency have, up to now, not been regarded by many as strong considerations in Malaysia.

Maintenance in Malaysia has always been very poor, to say the least!

The gist of what happened, is as follows:

The engine of a light aircraft (Liberty XL-2) had stalled in mid-air, which caused it to crashed at an oil palm estate near Kampung Sri Gunung Pulai leaving a teenage female trainee pilot dead and a flight examiner injured, according to various news reports.

Trainee pilot Dione Wong Yong Chin, 19, was killed on the spot in the crash at the Sri Pulai oil palm estate near Kulai, Johor, at about 09:20 on Tuesday 6th September 2010.
Kuala Lumpur International Flying Academy (Klifa) Sdn Bhd owns the ill-fated aircraft.

Flight examiner Captain Zaini Ramli, 38, of the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) Malaysia, sustained severe injuries.

The aircraft had taken off from its 'base' at the Sultan Ismail International Airport in Senai, which lies about 5.4 nautical miles from the crash site, at about 09:00.

When contacted, Department of Civil Aviation Director General Azharuddin Abd Rahman who was contacted by the media, was reported as saying that the trainee pilot was sitting for her Private Pilot Licence (PPL) flying test and that Capt. Zaini was her flight examiner.

Sincere condolences to the family of the late Dione Wong Yong Chin, may she rest in peace.

News media reports: links:

06 Sept 2010

Malaysia

The Star

The Sun

NST

China

click HERE & HERE

07 September 2010

Malaysia

The Star

New Straits Times

Singapore

Straits Times

Mihi cura futuri

My concern is the future

Requiescat in pace (RIP)

May she rest in peace

AIR ACCIDENT [Diamond DA40 TDI] IN MALAYSIA -HOW CAN A FLYING SCHOOL [HM Aerospace] INVESTIGATE THE DITCHING (CRASH LANDING INTO THE SEA) ON THEIR OWN

The ditched Diamond DA40 TDI in the sea off Langkawi Island

Assuming that the BERNAMA news report (see below) - or click HERE- is correct: Surely the aircraft should be impounded by, and this air accident investigation should be carried out independently by the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) Malaysia. They are the regulatory body for civil aviation in Malaysia, are they not? In order to ensure accountability and transparency, all air (and for that matter any accidents on land, sea or air) accident investigation reports should be made public. This looks like being yet another cover-up and /or a full whitewash! By DCA Malaysia Shame on you DCA Malaysia. NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL NEWS AGENCY, MALAYSIA (BERNAMA) “LANGKAWI, March 16 (Bernama) -- Flying school HM Aerospace has set up a committee to probe the emergency landing by its Diamond (DA40) light aircraft in the sea near the Pasir Hitam police officers mess in Ayer Hangat on Monday. Its principal, Brig-Gen (R) Datuk Ranjit Singh Gill, said today the committee would prepare a report for submission to the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) and HM Aerospace. The probe would be an internal affair and need not be made public, he told Bernama. In the 9.30am incident, the aircraft landed about 100m from the beach and the pilot and a trainee were brought to safety by fishermen who were in the vicinity. Meanwhile, the aircraft was taken to the flying school in Padang Matsirat yesterday for further investigation. -- BERNAMA” Excusatio non petita, accusatio manifesta He who excuses himself, accuses himself Commodum ex iniuria sua nemo habere debet No person ought to have advantage from his own wrong

More and More Training Aircraft Crash in Malaysia

Examples of HMA Diamond DA 40 TDI Training Aircraft
The one in the foreground, Reg. No. 9M-HMT, crashed on 21st August 2008 in Terengganu killing one trainee pilot and seriously injuring another.

15th March 2010 NSTP reports that:

Another Light plane crashes, this time off Langkawi Read the story,click HERE

Extract:

LANGKAWI: A Halim Mazmin Aerospace trainee pilot and his French instructor survived after their Diamond 40 two-seater plane plunged into the sea near Pasir Hitam Beach off Langkawi at 9.40am today.

Read about the same incident, as reported by the Star, under headline "Plane crashes in sea off Langkawi" by clicking HERE & update HERE

This is the latest in a series of crashes of aircraft belonging to HM Aerospace Flying School.

In addition, there have been several crashes of modern sophisticated training aircraft from flying schools, in Malaysia, based in Ipoh, Selangor, Langkawi and Kota Bahru, the latest in Kelantan, under a week ago on 9th March 2010, was involving an Eagle 150B aircraft, read about that incident, as reported by the Malay Mail by clicking HERE

An example of an Eagle 150B training aircraft

Another crash of an Eagle 150B training aircraft is report below:

Date:	29-OCT-2009
Time:	16:00-18.30
Type:	Eagle 150B
Operator:	Royal Selangor Flying Club
Registration:	9M-CLK
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Airplane damage:	Substantial
Location:	Lembah Beringin, Selangor
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	Ipoh
Destination airport:	Subang

The ill fated RSFC Eagle 150B Training Aircraft

Narrative: A Royal Selangor Flying Club light aircraft crashed in a jungle near the Beringin Golf Club in Lembah Beringin near Rawang, killing its pilot.

Source HERE with links to news reports

“Is Aircraft Maintenance in Malaysia Sub-standard?”

click HERE , refers to a similar subject.

These three simple questions below need to be asked and the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), Malaysia needs to answer them in a transparent, professional and comprehensive manner.

Why are so many training aircraft crashing?

Is the maintenance of modern training aircraft in Malaysia sub-standard?

WHY ARE THE AIR CRASH INVESTIGATION REPORTS NOT MADE PUBLIC?

(if they are made public, I cannot locate them at the DCA website)

Cadit quaestio

- The question drops

De nihilo nihil

- Nothing comes from nothing

UPDATE REGARDING HM AEROSPACE FLYING SCHOOL AIRCRAFT, (DIAMOND DA-40 TDI), CRASH NEAR KUALA TERENGGANU. UPDATE

Wreckage of HM Aerospace DA-40 TDI Aircraft, registration number 9M-HMT at the crash site.

Picure from Sin Chiew Website http://www.sinchew.com.my/node/78954?tid=1

“KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- The co-pilot of the ill-fated Diamond Star DA40 light aircraft was found dead while the pilot who suffered serious injuries, survived 14-hours of agony before being found trapped in the wreckage in Malaysia on Thursday, local media reported on Friday.

Muhammad Ariff Ahmad Fuad, 20, who was pinned to the chair in the cockpit, was believed to have been killed by the impact of the crash.

Meanwhile, Mohd Farid Abdullah, 21, managed to crawl eight meters after he got out from the aircraft, the New Straits Times said.

Mohd Farid, who was seriously injured, shouted in vain for help as the crash had occurred in the jungle and the nearest village was about four kilometers away.

Rescuers, who started combing the jungles in Tepoh, northern Terengganu state, quarry after receiving a report on Wednesday, found the wreckage at in Merang, Terengganu.

The rescuers had to depend on information from the villagers who said they saw the aircraft flying low and suspected that it had crashed into a forest area.

Mohd Farid was sent to hospital soon after he was found and the body of Muhammad Ariff was taken to hospital 45 minutes later for a post-mortem, Terengganu State acting police chief Jalaluddin AbdRahmad said.

Mohd Farid was being warded for observation, he said.

Jalaluddin said 118 rescuers from the Kuala Terengganu (capital of Terengganu state) police contingent, Fire and Rescue Department and Civil Defence Department were involved in the operation.

On Wednesday, the two-seater aircraft had taken off from Kuala Terengganu for Langkawi, northern Kedah state at 4:40 p.m.

Ten minutes later the police received a call that the aircraft was missing. Immediately a search and rescue team was formed.”

Sincere condolence to the family of the late Muhammad Ariff Ahmad Fuad

Requiescat in pace

- May he rest in peace

Missing HM Aerospace (HMA) Diamond Star DA-40 training aircraft found, one pilot found alive, the other was dead

THE ILL-FATED HMA TRAINING AIRCRAFT
Diamond Star DA 40 TDI Reg. No. 9M-HMT
Which Crashed on 21st August 2008

The wreckage of the crashed DA-40 TDI (TV grabs from TV7 Malaysia)

(Click on photos for a larger image)

(Photos thanks to: http://machawacha.blogspot.com/)

Search and Rescue workers this morning, Thursday 21^st August 2006, at last found the two pilots, aged 20 & 21 who went missing shortly after their aircraft took off from the Sultan Mahmud, Kuala Terengganu airport, reportedly en route to Langkawi International airport at about 16:43 on Wednesday.

The pilots were flying a single engined Diamond Star DA40 TDI aircraft said to be on a training flight from Kuala Terengganu to Langkawi International Airport.

The aircraft (Call sign 'MAHA 443', registration number 9M-HMT) belongs to HM Aerospace Flying School, which is based in Langkawi Kedah.

I understand that it is usual for such cross-country training flights from Kuala Terengganu and Lagkawi and vice versa, to be operated with one instructor and one trainee pilot.

However news reports state that both were trainee pilots, and it is also doubtful that a qualified flying instructor could be 20 or 21 years of age, so perhaps they were not en route to Langkawi?

One pilot was very fortunate to be found alive while the other had already died due to serious injuries.

The two pilots were named by NSTP as Mohd Farid Abdullah, of Bandar Baru Sungai Buloh, Selangor and Muhammad Ariff Ahmad Fuad, of Subang Jaya, Selangor.

Department of Civil Aviation director-general Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said the plane went missing within the Tepoh and Batu Rakit jungle.

This is the latest in a series of crashes of aircraft belonging to HM Aerospace Flying School.

In addition, there have been several crashes of training aircraft from flying schools, based in Ipoh and Kota Bahru.

My earlier post:

“Is Aircraft Maintenance in Malaysia Sub-standard?”

click HERE , refers to a similar subject.

This question needs to be asked once again, and the Department of Civil Aviation, Malaysia needs to answer it comprehensively.

Is aircraft maintenance in Malaysia sub-standard?

Cadit quaestio

- The question drops

De nihilo nihil

- Nothing comes from nothing

MAS Engineering Denies it Maintains QANTAS B747 Aircraft

According to the Malaysian newspaper Star on-line, click HERE

Malaysia Airlines has refuted a QANTAS senior pilot's allegation that maintenance of the QANTAS Boeing 747-400 Registration Number VH-OJK, which suffered a ruptured fuselage on Friday 25^th July 2008 on route from Hong Kong to Melbourne, had been outsourced to Malaysia.

MAS reported stated that the Australian airline QANTAS had also confirmed that the report in the Australian media was incorrect.

MAS senior general manager Mohd Roslan Ismail in a statement issued on Saturday 26^th July 2008, reportedly stated that MAS Engineering handled the engineering and maintenance of QANTAS Boeing 737 aircraft but not the Boeing 747 series aircraft.

Veritas numquam perit

- Truth never perishes

QANTAS B747-400 Incident-Was the Malaysian Lackadaisical Maintenance Culture A Factor?

QANTAS B747-400 "Spirit of Australia

I certainly hope it was not, but have a gut-feeling it may have been!

If it was there must be a full inquiry and all those involved must be severely dealt with.

Sydney-based tabloid The Daily Telegraph quoted an anonymous senior QANTAS pilot as a saying that the yesterday’s (25^th July 2008) QANTAS Flight QF 30 Boeing 747-400 incident could have been due to the company’s outsourcing of maintenance to Malaysia.

The pilot said that there had been a lot of talk among pilots about the poor checks on aircraft being performed overseas.

“Qantas outsourcing maintenance to Malaysia is certainly worrying a lot of us pilots. There has been aircraft coming back with dodgy staples to secure wiring,” said the quoted QANTAS pilot.

To read the full Malaysiakini report, please click HERE

Read the Sydney Daily Telegraph news report click HERE

My earlier posts:

“Is Aircraft Maintenance in Malaysia Sub-standard?”

click HERE , refers to a similar subject.

and also

"QANTAS Aircraft Maintenance in Malaysia –Follow Up" HERE

Virtutis fortuna comes

- Good luck is the companion of courage

QANTAS Aircraft Maintenance in Malaysia, Follow Up

Some additional background information regarding the previous post, entitled:

"Is Aircraft Maintenance in Malaysia Sub-standard?"

Qantas in maintenance tie-up with Malaysia Airlines

"Wed, Dec 19, 2007
AFP.

SYDNEY

AUSTRALIAN flag carrier Qantas on Wednesday announced an aircraft maintenance joint venture with Malaysia Airlines subsidiary Mas Aerospace Engineering (MAE).

Qantas said the joint venture, scheduled to begin operations in Malaysia next year, would target the Asia-Pacific aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul market, which is forecast to reach A$15 billion by 2016.

Qantas Chief Executive Geoff Dixon said the venture built on the investment of A$300 million Qantas had previously announced for its Australian engineering operations.

'It also reflects the Qantas Group's objectives of growing our aviation-related businesses into growth markets in Asia and the Pacific,' he said.

Malaysia airlines chief Idris Jala said the joint venture would provide a world-class facility in the Malaysian capital.

'Our priority will be to develop Kuala Lumpur as a maintenance, repair and overhaul hub for the Asia-Pacific region for services,' he said."

MAE, Company Overview

"Malaysian Aerospace Engineering Sdn Bhd provides engineering and maintenance services for Boeing 747s, 777s and 737s and Airbus A330s and A320s.

Malaysian Aerospace Engineering Sdn Bhd was incorporated in 2007 and is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Malaysian Aerospace Engineering Sdn Bhd operates as a subsidiary of Malaysian Airline System Bhd."

Source; Business Week HERE

"MAS Aerotechnologies Sdn. Bhd. or also known as MAS Aerospace Engineering is an engineering and maintenance division of Malaysia Airlines also known as Malaysian Airlines' Engineering and Maintenance Division, offers aircraft maintenance, calibration services, engineering & maintenance training and engineering & maintenance support to airline customers."

Source Wikipedia HERE

Emitte lucem et veritatem



- Send out light and truth

Is Aircraft Maintenance in Malaysia Sub-standard?

A QANTAS Boeing 737 Aircraft

• The Newspaper: The Age Newspaper, Melbourne, Australia
• The Reporter: Ben Schneiders
• The Date: 2^nd July 2008

“A QANTAS aircraft just back from a maintenance overhaul in Malaysia had a string of faults including problems with its navigation systems and rudder.”

See the full story HERE

Thanks to Jeffrey Hardy Quah for the heads-up, his blog is HERE

In addition to this, why have there been so many accidents with light aircraft in Malaysia recently?

An Eagle 150B training aircraft crashed in Ipoh on 26th June 2008, seriously injuring both the flying instructor and the trainee pilot

Aircraft, of various types, including the Eagle 150 B, and the Diamond DA 40 TDI, used by flying schools around Malaysia have been involved in a number of accidents, in Langkawi, Penang, Ipoh, Malacca and Kota Bahru, and, most recently, a private light aircraft crashed in Malacca on 30th June 2008.

Could these crashes be attributed to sub-standard, unsatisfactory maintenance not adhering to maintenance guidelines and not following Airworthiness Directives (AD)?

Unlike in other countries, Air Accident Investigation Reports seem to be 'Secret’ in Malaysia, whilst in most countries they are freely available for the public to study on line.

If any reader knows where to find Malaysian Air Accident Investigation Reports appertaining to aircraft casualties in Malaysia, please inform, via the blog comments, thank you.

Maybe the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) can answer these questions?

Are the above some examples the "Tidak Apa' (so What, Couldn't Care Less, Kiss my Arse) Attitude, which seems to be somewhat ingrained in Malaysia?

If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well!