PETALING JAYA – The preliminary findings of the investigation into the Aug 17 crash of a Beechcraft 390 Premier 1 aircraft, which was flying from Langkawi to Subang, state that the pilot was qualified for the flight in accordance with regulations.
In a preliminary report released on Friday morning, the Malaysian Transport Ministry’s Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said the aircraft also had a valid airworthiness certificate and “had been maintained in compliance with the regulations”.
It added that there was no evidence of incapacitation or physiological factors that affected the flight crew’s performance.
However, no transcript of the last 30 minutes of the voice recording from the cockpit was released, even though the recovery of data from the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) was successful.
“Initial analysis of the recovered CVR recording has provided critical leads to uncovering the cause of the accident, with a focus on the aircraft flight control systems,” the report said.
“Results from the pending inspection and examination of the related aircraft parts and components at the (US) National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and OEM (original equipment manufacturer) laboratories are necessary to provide collaborative and/or conclusive evidence in establishing the cause of the accident.”
In an accompanying statement, the Transport Ministry said the submission of the preliminary report within 30 days fulfils the standards of Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation protocols.
“The ministry wishes to express its gratitude to NTSB and also Singapore’s Transport Safety Investigation Bureau for assistance rendered to AAIB’s investigations through their respective accredited representatives, along with their technical advisers,” the statement read.
The ministry emphasised that the preliminary report is an initial finding that is believed to be accurate as at the moment of publication.
“This report contains statements of facts which have been determined” up to the point at which it was issued, the ministry said.
“It must be regarded as tentative, and is subject to alteration or correction if additional evidence becomes available.”
The update on the investigation will hinge heavily upon the 30-minute voice recording from the CVR.
The incident claimed the lives of 10 people when the light aircraft crashed during fine weather on Aug 17.
Eight of the victims were the six passengers and two flight crew members on board, while the other two were a food delivery rider and a ride-hailing driver who happened to be on the road in front of the Elmina township in Shah Alam, Selangor, when the aircraft crashed onto the road.
The aircraft’s passengers included Datuk Seri Johari Harun, chairman of the Pahang Local Government, Housing, Environment and Green Technology Committee. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
