Date & Time:
Dec 18, 1983 at 1938 LT
Type of aircraft:
Airbus A300
Operator:
Registration:
OY-KAA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kuching - Singapore - Kuala Lumpur
MSN:
122
YOM:
1980
Flight number:
MH684
Country:
Malaysia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
14
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
233
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
3907
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Singapore-Changi Airport, the crew started the approach to Kuala Lumpung-Subang Airport by night and poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls. During an ILS approach to runway 15 with an RVR of 450 meters, the pilot-in-command was unable to establish a visual contact with the runway and eventually decided to make a go-around. Four other attempts to land failed and during the sixth approach procedure, the crew descended below the MDA until the aircraft contacted trees and crashed in a dense wooded area located 1,200 meters short of runway, bursting into flames. All 247 occupants were quickly evacuated, 20 of them were injured. The undercarriage and both engines were torn off while the aircraft was partially destroyed by a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
The flight crew's decision to continue the approach after passing the MDA below the glide without proper visual contact with the ground/runway. Published procedures violation, lack of visibility, poor weather conditions were considered as contributing factors.
