Flying instructor killed in plane crash

IPOH: A 52-year-old flying instructor was killed when the light aircraft he was in crashed near a pumphouse at Jalan Dr Nazrin Shah here.

But another flying instructor in the aircraft survived.

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In the videos and pictures that went viral on social media, the blue and white aircraft is seen to have narrowly missed a house near the upmarket residential area of Taman Golf before it crashed near the pumphouse.

Curious onlookers were also seen crowding the scene of the accident.

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Perak police chief Comm Datuk Mior Faridalathrash Wahid said the body of Fajim Juffa Mustafa Kamal was removed from the wrecked airplane at about 9.20pm.

“Another flying instructor, Muhammad Din Fikri Zainal Abidin, 62, who was also in the plane, survived and was rushed to Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun for treatment.

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“We are investigating the cause of the incident,” he told reporters near the crash site last night.

It was reported earlier that the state Fire and Rescue Department had received a distress call about the incident at about 8.10pm.

Tragic end: Rescuers at the scene of the crash site at Jalan Dr Nazrin Shah, Ipoh.

Comm Mior Faridalathrash said the families of both men had been informed.

“We believed that they were flying from a nearby flying school. The victims are from Semenyih, Selangor, and Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, respectively,” he said.

Parts of the aircraft appeared damaged.

Confirming the incident, the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) chief executive officer Datuk Captain Chester Voo said the aircraft was on a night training flight after taking off from the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport.

“CAAM Ipoh Air Traffic Control Tower received a mayday call at 8.07pm. The involved aircraft is a Piper 28-161, registration 9M-BAA and is operated by BATS Aviation Sdn Bhd,” he said in a statement.

A safety investigation, he added, would be conducted by the Air Accident Investigation Bureau under the Transport Malaysia in accordance with Part XXVI Civil Aviation Regulations 2016.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said he was saddened to hear about the latest development involving the crashed aircraft.

“Condolences to the victim’s family. The co-pilot is now being treated for head injuries at the hospital after being extracted from the crash site. We hope and pray for strength for their families,” he said.