Crash of a De Havilland DHC-4A Caribou in Simanggang

Date & Time: Nov 29, 1980
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
M21-12
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Balikpapan - Kuching
MSN:
280
YOM:
1969
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Balikpapan to Kuching, a warning light came on in the cockpit panel, indicating a low oil pressure on the left engine. The crew shut down the left engine and feathered its propeller. Due to bad weather in Kuching, the captain decided to divert to Simanggang where the airplane landed safely on one engine. After touchdown, the airplane decelerated and the pilot-in-command completed a 180 turn then a backtrack procedure when one of the landing gear went into a soft ground along the runway edge. After the left engine oil tank was filled, the crew took off for Kuching. After liftoff, during initial climb, a warning light came on in the cockpit panel, indicating a technical problem with the feathering system on the right engine. The airplane started to roll left and right then lost height and crashed in a jungle located 1,400 meters past the runway end. The aircraft was totally destroyed upon impact and all three crew members were injured.

Crash of a Boeing 737-2H6 near Jalan Tanjung Kupang: 100 killed

Date & Time: Dec 4, 1977 at 2036 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9M-MBD
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Penang - Kuala Lumpur
MSN:
20585/306
YOM:
1972
Flight number:
MH653
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
93
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
100
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Penang Airport at 1921LT on scheduled service MH653 to Kuala Lumpur. During the descent, while at an altitude of 4,000 feet, a hijacker entered the cockpit and forced the crew to divert to Singapore. The aircraft then climbed to FL210 and proceeded to Singapore when the hijacker shot both pilots and then himself. Few minutes later, the airplane entered a dive and crashed in a wooded area located in the region of Jalan Tanjung Kupang. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 100 occupants were killed. The cockpit voice recordings indicate noises suggestive of the cockpit door being broken in, along with a reasonable amount of screaming and cursing. No noises are heard from within the cockpit to indicate any of the three occupants were conscious. The autopilot was then disconnected, possibly due to a pitch input by someone entering the cockpit and trying to control the aircraft. An investigator speculated that someone pulled back on the column, causing a pitch up, followed by an oscillation. This rapidly developed into a high amplitude phugoid oscillation that resulted in a rapid dive.
Probable cause:
The aircraft was hijacked in-flight and both pilots were shot.

Crash of a Douglas DC-8-62H in Kuala Lumpur: 34 killed

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
JA8051
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tokyo - Hong Kong - Kuala Lumpur
MSN:
46152
YOM:
1971
Flight number:
JL715
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
69
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
34
Circumstances:
While descending to Kuala Lumpur-Subang Airport on a flight from Tokyo via Hong Kong, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility. On final approach, the captain descended below the MDA when the four engine airplane struck tree tops and crashed in a rubber plantation located about 6 km from runway 15 threshold. The aircraft broke into several pieces and 34 occupants were killed, among them eight crew members. All 45 other people were injured.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by the captain descending below minimum descent altitude without having the runway in sight, and continuing the descent until the aircraft struck terrain four nautical miles short of the runway threshold.
A subsidiary contributory factor was insufficient monitoring of the aircraft's flight path by the captain under the adverse weather conditions with several aircraft in the holding pattern awaiting their turn for approach and, more importantly, the co-pilot's failure to challenge the captain's breach of company regulations.

Crash of a GAF Nomad N.22B off Kota Kinabalu: 11 killed

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1976 at 1541 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9M-ATZ
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Labuan - Kota Kinabalu
MSN:
14
YOM:
1975
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The airplane was completing a flight from Labuan to Kota Kinabalu, carrying the Prime Minister of Sabah and his delegation. On final approach to runway 20, while at an altitude of 600 feet and a speed of 86 knots, the airplane stalled and crashed into the shallow sea which was about three feet deep, some 3 km short of runway threshold. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 11 occupants have been killed.
Crew:
Ghandi Nathan.
Passengers:
Tun Fuad Stephens, Prime Minister of Sabah,
Datuk Peter Mojuntin, Sabah Minister of Local Government and Housing,
Datuk Salleh Sulong, Sabah Finance Minister,
Chong Thien Vun, Sabah Works and Communication Minister,
Datuk Darius Binion, Assistant Minister to Deputy Chief Minister,
Datuk Wahid Peter Andu, secretary to Sabah Finance Minister,
Dr. Syed Hussin Wafa, Director of State Economic Planning Unit,
Datuk Ishak Atan, Private Secretary to Malaysian Federal Finance Minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah,
Johari Stephens (Tun Fuad's eldest son),
Corporal Said Mohammad, bodyguard to Tun Fuad Stephens.
Probable cause:
The findings of an investigating team did not reveal any technical errors or sabotage as being the causes of the air crash. What they have instead discovered is that the fault was due to human error. It was also revealed that the aircraft's storage space at the back of the aircraft, was loaded with goods above the maximum load. As a consequence this had resulted in the aircraft losing control when it attempted to land at the Kota Kinabalu Airport, thus resulting in the accident.

Crash of a Handley Page HPR-7 Dart Herald 401 in Kuala Lumpur

Date & Time: Jan 17, 1976
Operator:
Registration:
FM1025
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kuching - Kuala Lumpur
MSN:
181
YOM:
1964
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
22
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a flight from Kuching to the Sempang Airbase in Kuala Lumpur. On approach, the left main gear failed to extend and the captain decided to divert to Subang Airport where he completed a belly landing. The aircraft slid for few dozen metres and came to rest. While all 25 occupants escaped uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Beechcraft 65-B80 Queen Air in Sandakan: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9M-ASU
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Sandakan - Sandakan
MSN:
LD-473
YOM:
1974
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Sandakan Airport, while completing a local training flight, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed in a swampy area. All three pilots were killed.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 500 in Kota Kinabalu

Date & Time: Nov 23, 1971
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9V-BCU
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kota Kinabalu - Kota Kinabalu
MSN:
10463
YOM:
1971
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
669
Aircraft flight cycles:
879
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training flight at Kota Kinabalu Airport. Following several touch-and-go manoeuvres, the pilot under supervision started a new takeoff procedure when the instructor decided to simulate an engine failure and reduced the power on the right engine. The pilot-in-command reduced power on the left engine and started an emergency braking procedure. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran, struck various obstacles, lost its undercarriage and came to rest. While both pilots were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-4A Caribou into the Cowie Bay: 10 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1970 at 0850 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
M21-10
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
278
YOM:
1969
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances into the Cowie Bay. Ten passengers were killed while nine other occupants were rescued.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander in Bario

Date & Time: Dec 5, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9M-APE
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
63
YOM:
1969
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing in unclear circumstances. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Scottish Twin Pioneer CC.1 in Gerik

Date & Time: Feb 10, 1968
Operator:
Registration:
XM963
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
560
YOM:
1959
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Went out of control upon landing apparently following the failure of the tailwheel. There were no casualties.