Aircraft complied with regulations and certified airworthy

PUTRAJAYA: The aircraft that crashed on the Guthrie Expressway near Bandar Elmina in Shah Alam, Selangor, had a valid licence and registration, including the certification of airworthiness, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) chief executive officer Datuk Norazman Mahmud.

He said the Beechcraft Model 390 (Premier 1), which was registered overseas and using a licence issued by a foreign authority, was in compliance with the rules of air while flying from Langkawi to Subang.

He said based on information retrieved, all licences held by the aircraft operator, including the flight crew license, registration certificate, and the aircraft’s airworthiness certificate, were valid.

“The flight also complied with Malaysia’s rules of the air,” he told Bernama yesterday.

The ill-fated aircraft with a registration number N28JV and operated by Jetvalet Sdn Bhd departed from Langkawi International Airport at 2.08pm and was heading to Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang when it crashed.

Yesterday, Norazman said the first contact made by the aircraft with the Subang Air Traffic Control Tower was at 2.47pm and landing clearance was given at 2.48pm.

At 2.51pm, the Subang Air Traffic Control Tower observed smoke originating from the crash site but no mayday call was made by the aircraft, he said,

Norazman said CAAM would assist the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (BSKU) under the Ministry of Transport in conducting investigations into the tragedy, particularly from a technical perspective, focusing on flight operations.

When asked if Jetvalet Sdn Bhd operations would be temporarily suspended, he said: “Not at the moment. They operate under the private category, which is used by the owner, and not for hire and reward (commercial purposes).”