IPOH: Attempts to contact the pilot of the helicopter that went missing near Bidor were unsuccessful, with radar showing that the aircraft suffered a sharp loss of altitude, says the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM).
Datuk Capt Chester Voo, the CAA chief executive officer, said a review of radar readings indicated a large loss of altitude in less than one minute.
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"The radar system in Kuala Lumpur Air Traffic Control Centre (KLATCC) had recorded a sharp loss of altitude for the helicopter.
"The on-duty air traffic control officer tried to make contact with the pilot, but there was no distress call made," he said in a statement on Sunday (Sept 11).
The helicopter, with a single pilot on board, is said to have lost contact with KLATCC at 12.16pm.
The aircraft took off from the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang at 11.37am for a private flight and was scheduled to land at the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport here at 12.37pm.
The helicopter model is a Eurocopter EC120B, registration marking N409HH operated by Heli Outpost Sdn Bhd.
A search and rescue operation is currently ongoing to look for the pilot and the helicopter at a forested area between Bidor and Langkap.
