Harrowing footage which has surfaced following the sudden crash of a Beechcraft 390 light commuter jet in Elmina, Shah Alam in Malaysia’s Selangor region yesterday shows just how close some motorists came to tragedy.
The twin-engine Beechcraft 390 jet was operating on a regional flight from Langkawi Island to Subang Airport, west of the capital of Kuala Lumpur.
Approach to Subang Airport
Little is yet known about the circumstances which led to the aircraft’s sudden crash. The flight had made initial contact with Subang Air Traffic Control Tower at 2:47 p.m. local time, and landing clearance was granted at 2:48 p.m.
In the following three minutes, as the aircraft was conducting its initial approach to Subang, control was apparently lost and the aircraft plummeted to the ground near a highway in Elmina, Shah Alam.
At 2:51 p.m.,just 3 minutes after the granted landing clearance, the Subang Air Traffic Control Tower noticed the emergence of smoke from the crash site.
No mayday had been issued from the aircraft. The ensuing crash claimed the lives of the eight persons on board the aircraft as well as a motorist and a motorcycle rider.
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Crash in Elmina, Shah Alam
Video footage which surfaced on social media after the accident showed the perspective of the crash site from the dash cam of a passing vehicle on the highway in Elmina, Shah Alam, approximately 20 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur.
The motorist, who was quite likely the oblivious to the impending crash passes through a fireball and strewn wreckage from the collision of the jet as it impacts the ground adjacent to the highway.
Malaysian authorities are now endeavouring to retrieve the aircraft’s black box and flight data recorder to ascertain the last moments of the flight and cause of the accident.
Crash Investigation
Local news source Malay Mail cited the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) chief executive officer Datuk Norazman Mahmud as saying that CAAM would assist the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (BSKU) under the Ministry of Transport in conducting the investigation.
What has been ascertained so far is that both pilots were certified and experienced, and the aircraft’s airworthiness certification and registration was valid and current.
The flight had operated in compliance with Malaysian aviation regulations. Sadly, whilst some on the ground were extremely fortunate in avoiding tragedy, yesterday’s accident tragically claimed the lives of 10 people.
The names of those concerned has not yet been disclosed by authorities, however it is understood that the Pahang Local Government, Housing, Environment and Green Technology Committee chairman Datuk Seri Johari Harun was amongst the passengers on board the private flight.
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