KUALA LUMPUR: The helicopter involved in the fatal Flying Doctor Service crash in Sarawak had a valid Certificate of Airworthiness until Aug 4, 2027, according to Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) records.
CAAM chief executive officer Datuk Captain Norazman Mahmud said the aircraft’s Certificate of Registration was also valid until July 28, 2029.
“Based on our records, the aircraft’s Certificate of Airworthiness was valid until Aug 4, 2027, while its Certificate of Registration was valid until July 28, 2029,” he told reporters when met at the Malaysia Aviation Safety Seminar 2026 (MASS ’26) here on Thursday (Sept 10).
Norazman said Layang Layang Aerospace had, following the accident, taken the precautionary step of immediately grounding its fleet of BO105 helicopters.
The operator also grounded other aircraft in its fleet equipped with Rolls-Royce 250 series engines.
He stressed that the move was initiated by the operator as a precaution and should not be taken as an indication of what caused the crash.
“I wish to stress that this grounding is a precautionary safety measure taken by the operator.
“It should not be interpreted as an indication that the engine or any other particular component caused the accident,” he said.
Norazman also addressed concerns over the age of the helicopter, saying an aircraft’s age alone did not determine whether it was airworthy.
“From an airworthiness perspective, age alone is not a determining factor, provided the aircraft is properly maintained in accordance with its approved maintenance programme and continues to meet all applicable airworthiness requirements,” he said.
He said CAAM was monitoring Layang Layang Aerospace’s grounding and inspection programme.
The authority is also verifying all relevant regulatory records involving the aircraft, operator and pilot.
