KUALA LUMPUR: A preliminary report on the fatal Flying Doctor Service (FDS) helicopter crash in Sarawak is expected within 30 days of the accident, according to Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) chief executive officer Datuk Captain Norazman Mahmud.
Norazman said this is the standard timeframe for releasing a preliminary report under Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
“If you follow Annex 13, the preliminary report will come 30 days after the accident. That is the standard charter.
“The full report will come one year after the accident,” he said when met at the Malaysia Aviation Safety Seminar 2026 here yesterday.
This means the preliminary report on the crash, which occurred on Sept 8, is expected by next month.
The helicopter, which was carrying out a FDS mission, crashed near Long Lellang in Sarawak on Tuesday, killing all five people on board.
Norazman stressed that any confirmed findings on the cause of the accident must come from the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) following a thorough examination of the evidence.
“AAIB is responsible for establishing the circumstances, contributing factors and cause of the accident.
“CAAM is providing AAIB with its full cooperation and all relevant records,” he added.
Norazman said it would be premature at this stage to speculate on whether the crash was caused by a technical issue, weather conditions, human factors or any other reason.
