2 dead after light aircraft owned by Singapore company crashes into town in Malaysia
Two men died after their light aircraft crashed in a town near Kuala Lumpur.
The victims have been identified as 30-year-old pilot Daniel Yee Hsiang Khoon and 42-year-old passenger Roshaan Singh Raina. Both are Malaysian.
The light aircraft crashed less than half an hour after taking off from a Malaysian airport yesterday (13 Feb), and various eyewitnesses reported seeing it flying in an unusual manner before hearing a crash.
Source: Bernama TV on X
The aircraft belonged to Singapore-based flight training company Aviation Safety Technology (AST).
Air traffic control did not receive any distress calls before crash
According to Bernama News, the plane took off from Subang Airport at 1.28pm yesterday (13 Feb).
Source: Bernama TV on X
Its last contact with air traffic control officers was recorded at 1.35pm.
However, the latter never received any distress calls from the aircraft.
It was only at 1.56pm that the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department received a distress call.
Following that, 130 to 150 personnel from various agencies were dispatched to the scene.
The impact of the crash caused the 1,300kg plane to be buried as deep as two metres into the ground, Selangor police told The Star.
Debris from the aircraft was also found scattered within a 50m radius of the crash site.
Civilians witnessed aircraft flying unusually before it crashed
Various residents of the town in which the aircraft crashed reported seeing it flying in a way that “wasn’t right” before it went down.
55-year-old Jinaidi Nasiran told Bernama that he had been changing a tyre at home when he saw the plane nose-diving into the ground.
He then rushed to the crash site, only to find it already shattered and planted in the ground.
60-year-old Siti Zubaidah Salin, who lived 150 metres away from the scene, reported hearing a loud explosion and feeling tremors.
She initially thought there had been an earthquake.
Similarly, 45-year-old Sufian Hadi Abas heard a loud explosion and saw fragments of the aircraft flying everywhere.
Around the time of the crash, videos of debris falling from the sky had also been widely circulated online.
kejadian baru tadi, kuat jugak bunyi kapal terbang tu terhempas dkt kapar pic.twitter.com/lX6wnLk8cy
— shae (@Shaeyful) February 13, 2024
Plane operated by Malaysian flying club & owned by Singapore flight training company
The Star reported that the plane had been a recreational aircraft.
Selangor police said the pilot and passenger were an instructor and a member of a recreational flying club respectively.
According to The Straits Times (ST), the two-seater plane belonged to the Air Adventure Flying Club, which is based at the aforementioned Subang Airport.
The plane was owned by Singapore-based flight training company Aviation Safety Technology (AST).
Source: The Star
A company spokesperson informed ST that the plane was preparing for the Singapore Airshow, which will be held from 20 to 25 Feb.
It would have been a part of the air show’s outdoor static display.
Investigations for what caused light aircraft crash now underway
Malaysia’s Air Accident Investigation Bureau will be investigating the cause of the accident, New Straits Times reported.
Meanwhile, the victims’ bodies have been retrieved and transported to a local hospital for post-mortem and identification.
This morning (14 Feb), Yee and Roshaan’s family members were seen outside the forensic medical department of the hospital.
They had just completed a DNA sampling to help in the identification of the victims.
Photos showed family members hugging and comforting each other.
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Featured image adapted from Bernama TV on X and Bernama TV on X.Â
