KUALA LUMPUR: Two helicopters, believed to have brushed against each other in mid-air, crashed landed yesterday killing a pilot and a trainee pilot in Taman Melawati, Ampang.
The dead were identified as former Royal Malaysian Navy pilot Commander (R) Mohd Sabri Baharom, 56, and trainee pilot Mohd Irfan Mohamed Rawi, 41.
Former Malaysian Airlines chief executive officer Datuk Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, 66, who was piloting the other helicopter, and his female passenger Tan Chai Elan, 56, survived the crash but were injured after safely force-landing the aircraft at a field of SJKT Taman Melawati.
Mohd Sabri’s helicopter crashed landed next to a jungle by a hill about 200m away and had broken up into several parts while the helicopter piloted by Ahmad Jauhari was damaged but intact.
Ampang Jaya police chief ACP Mohamad Farouk Esha said police were alerted of the incident by the public.
He said the bodies of Mohd Sabri and Mohd Irfan were sent to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital for post mortem.
Mohamad Farouk said investigations on the cause of the accident is ongoing by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia.
However, sources said based on preliminary findings by investigators, the crash occurred when the helicopters that were flying together had brushed against each other causing the pilots to lose control of the private-owned aircraft, belonging to a club called MyHeli Club.
Meanwhile, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong said the mid-air collision occurred during flight training involving the four crew members.
He said the case will be investigated in accordance with the aviation accident procedures and a preliminary report of the findings will be ready in 30 days.
Residents in the area were stunned yesterday when they spotted Mohd Sabri’s helicopter spiralling to the ground.
It was fortunate that the pilot managed to avoid several residential areas in the vicinity.
Dozens of videos taken by the public before and after the helicopters hit the ground went viral yesterday.
Meanwhile, quoting sources from the Ministry of Transport, Bernama reported that there was no breach of the conditional movement control order by the four victims as flight training was not among the restricted activities listed in the order.
