SHAH ALAM: Three crew of a Leonardo AW109 LOH were injured when their helicopter made an emergency landing during a night-time flight training at the 881 Rejimen aerodrome, Kem Mahkota, Keluang, early today. The Army release stated it was an emergency landing but based on the crew injuries it is likely a hard landing. I stand to be corrected, of course.
According to the Army, the incident involving tail number M81-11 occurred during the Basic Army Aviation Course at the aerodrome inside the camp at 1.35am (June 28 2024).
Preliminary medical checks on the three crew – the flight instructor, trainee pilot and a quarter master showed various injuries to the back and body. The three soldiers who were conscious were sent to the Enche Besar Hajjah Kalsom Hospital for further treatment.
The Army said the AW109 fleet has been temporarily grounded for inspection following the incident. Inspection and rectification work will be conducted to restore their flight status.
A board of inquiry has been set up to determine the cause of the incident, the release added.
This was the second LOH to be involved in an incident during night-time flight training. The first one was in 2014, near Batu Pahat, Johor. It is unclear whether the helicopter had been repaired or not.
The Army acquired 11 AW109s in 2006. Three of the helicopters are based in Sandakan, Sabah permanently for operations in ESSCOM, Sabah and Sarawak since 2014.
Updated on July 4 2024. The crew members are identified as Leftenan Kolonel Mohd Khalid Ismail (the IP), Leftenan Mohammad Zaireen Aiman Zulkarnain (pilot, traineer) dan Sarjan Mohamad Solihi Subari (quartermaster).
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (12)
There was a French ALAT instructor involved in the 2014 crash. Wa a night training sortie.
If I’m not mistaken the A-109 from the 2014 crash was written off.
Yet another chopper mishap! We cant seem to get a break can we!
Can we at least get answers for the series of chopper accidents just the last couple of years! The collision case seems to point towards something but stop short of actually saying what caused.
Come on we should do better! Otherwise were just risking our various airmen lives whenever they fly.
Its a training flight, at night.
Are those A109 even equipped for night flight?
Yup
NVG compatible cockpit and NVGs. The A-109 which crashed in 2014 was on a night training sortie.
Unless one is doing tactical flying; one does not need NVGs or have to be “equipped for night flight”. There is the moonlight, street lamps and other forms of lighting. The Nuris [only a handful received NVG compatible lighting in their cockpits] and Alo 3s flew at night. So do police and Bomba helis. Oil&gas helis fly at night but don’t have NVGs.
When tactical flying is conducted then it’s a different story.
I see most accidents occurred during training involving the A-109. Do we have a training flight simulators for A-109 pilots? If yes, we should make these simulators more assessable to our defense personel and other users of the A109 such as Bomba
No. We previously used one owned by the RNZAF.
Can this A109 be repaired instead of being written off???:(
I was told it is a written off.