RMAF to send flight recorder to Bandung for analysis by manufacturer

SUBANG: Investigators have recovered the black box from the Royal Malaysian Air Force CN235 aircraft that crashed near a beach in Kuala Selangor last Friday.

RMAF chief Jen Tan Sri Roslan Saad said the black box was found on Saturday.

“It will be sent to Bandung, Indonesia, latest by this evening, to be analysed by its manufacturer.

“I expect the process to take about five days before it is completed and hopefully, we will find out the cause soon,” he said at a press conference at the RMAF airbase here yesterday.

Jen Roslan added that the process of removing the wreckage from the scene would take time as the terrain at the crash site made operations difficult.

“We only have six hours to investigate the scene, as well as remove the wreckage part by part as it is difficult to reach the scene when the tide rises.

“If there is a need to cut the wreckage into parts, we will do so,” he said.

Asked the status of the other seven CN235 aircraft, Jen Roslan said the planes were currently grounded until inspections on the planes were completed.

“Two aircraft have undergone preventive maintenance, another two are being inspected,” he said, adding that three other aircraft were in the queue.

Last Friday, engine failure forced the twin-engined aircraft to make an emergency landing on a swampy beach.

The plane had taken off from the Subang Air Force Base at about 8.30am for a routine training session and issued a mayday about 10 minutes into the flight.

Pilot Mejar Mohd Azri Yacob, 41, then made a forced landing in shallow waters in a swampy beach area near Taman Malawati Utama.

A fire broke out in the mid-section of the light aircraft upon impact.

Co-pilot Mejar Ahmad Syazwan Mohammed, 32, broke his left arm during the incident, while the rest of the crew escaped without major injuries.

However, a fisherman drowned while trying to help the passengers out of the CN235 aircraft after his foot got stuck in the mud.