CAAM Grounds all operations of four blackshape aircraft models effective March 20

Unfortunate event: Debris from a light plane crash around an oil palm plantation area near Sekolah Kebangsaan Tok Muda, Kapar, last month.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Civilian Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) has grounded all flight operations involving the Blackshape aircraft models BS 115, BK 160, BK 60-200 and BK 160TR in Malaysian airspace effective on Wednesday (March 20).

Its chief executive officer Datuk Capt Norazman Mahmud said the suspension was in line with the Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) (AD No.: 2024-0074-E) issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) to the aircraft manufacturer on Monday (March 18) to suspend all flight operations for all Blackshape aircraft effective March 20.

EASA’s issuance of the EAD follows the recent fatal accident involving a Blackshape aircraft, which had raised concerns over its safety standards.

"CAAM is committed in prioritising flight safety in Malaysia and will take necessary action to ensure safe flight operations,” he said in a statement on Tuesday (March 19).

A Blackshape Gabriél BK 160TR managed by Aviation Safety Technology Pte Ltd of Singapore had crashed in a oil palm plantation in Kampung Tok Muda near Kapar, Selangor at around 1.36 pm on Feb 13 after taking off from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah, Subang, Selangor, killing both people onboard.

The Transport Ministry’s Air Disaster Investigation Bureau’s 58-page initial report issued on March 13 showed that there was disorganised maintenance and the aircraft had exceeded its weight limit, which was recorded in the damage assessment.

The report also stated that the aircraft was not equipped with any flight data recorders and two Garmin G3X GDU 460 main flight displays at the front and back of the cabin of the aircraft. - Bernama