Last-minute crash: aircraft plummets in Elmina moments before scheduled landing

KUALA LUMPUR – The Beechcraft Model 390 flight that crashed in Elmina, Shah Alam, this afternoon plummeted some two minutes before it was due to land at the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, said police.

Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the aircraft was making its descent towards the runway in Subang when it lost contact with the air control tower.

He also confirmed that the incident took place at 2.40pm and that the private jet was carrying a total of six passengers and two crew members.

Hussein added that all the victims are male.

“The aircraft crashed on a road and hit one motorcycle and a car,” he told reporters at the crash site.

“We believe that all victims have died, and the incident is being investigated. The Fire and Rescue Department had doused the fire in about 10 minutes.”

“Now we are processing the crime scene to collect evidence.”

Hussein said the post-mortem on the victims will be done at Klang Hospital.

“The plane should have been landing, but it crashed two minutes before without any distress call. It had also received clearance to land,” he explained.

Earlier, the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) said the aircraft did not make any mayday calls prior to the accident.

In a statement, CAAM confirmed that a total of six passengers and two flight crew were on board the plane, which carried the registration number N28JV.

It said the aircraft operated by Jetvalet Sdn Bhd departed from Langkawi International Airport at 2.08pm for Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport.

“The first contact made by the aircraft with the Subang air traffic control tower was at 2.47pm and landing clearance was given at 2.48pm. At 2.51pm, the Subang air traffic control tower observed smoke originating from the crash site, but no mayday call was made by the aircraft,” CAAM said.

CAAM said the Kuala Lumpur Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (KLARCC) has been activated to coordinate the search and rescue mission.

“A total of six passengers and two flight crew were on board, and their conditions have yet to be confirmed at press time,” it said.

“The safety investigation will be conducted by the Air Accident Investigation Bureau under the Transport Ministry in accordance with Part XXVI of the Civil Aviation Regulations 2016.” – August 17, 2023