Bomba AW189 Crashes in Subang

SHAH ALAM: A Fire and Rescue Department/Bomba Leonardo AW189 – 9M-BOF – super-medium helicopter crashed in the apron of the Malaysian Institute of Aviation Technology adjacent to Subang airport today. The institute is part of Universiti Kuala Lumpur.

Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) chief executive officer Captain Norazman Mahmud said the seven occupants on board the helicopter were in a stable condition. The helicopter was conducting a test flight when the incident occurred.

Firefighters at the scene of the crash. Bomba picture.

“The Subang Air Traffic Control Tower received a report on the crash at 11.52am Saturday (July 22) and the Airport Fire and Rescue Service (AFRS) responded to the crash immediately.

“A total of seven on board including the pilot are reported to be in stable condition. The safety investigation will be conducted by the Air Accident Investigation Bureau under the Transport Ministry in accordance with Part XXVI Civil Aviation Regulations 2016,” he said in a statement.

Pictures of the crashed helicopter showed that it had landed on its starboard/ right-hand side and its main rotors were destroyed in the incident. It is unclear whether the helicopter could be repaired and returned into service.

Malaysian Defence reported that 9M-BOF and its sister ship, 9M-BOE entered service in December, 2018, although the aircraft was delivered a year earlier. The report stated that each helicopter cost RM105 million each.

Bomba Leonardo AW189 9M-BOF as seen from the other side of the Leonardo hangar in 2018. Malaysian Defence

Since their entry into service, both helicopters are mostly used for medical evacuation of patients from the deep interior of Kelantan to the nearest hospital.