Loke: CAAM audit identified minor issues prior to fatal Sarawak chopper crash, but found no direct link

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 — In the days preceding a fatal helicopter crash in Sarawak, Malaysia's aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), identified minor organisational issues during a routine audit, although officials emphasized these findings were not directly linked to the accident. Transport Minister Anthony Loke, speaking to Parliament on October 15, disclosed that CAAM discovered three audit findings and three observations during a surveillance audit conducted between September 1 and September 4.

The audit's focus encompassed aspects of maintenance organisation compliance, manpower management, maintenance control, aircraft equipment and component management, and the Safety Management System (SMS). Loke explained that the audit aimed to evaluate Layang-Layang Aerospace Sdn. Bhd.'s application to renew its Approved Maintenance Organisation (AMO) approval.

Of the audit findings, all except one had been closed; the remaining finding pertained to manpower calculation maintenance and was awaiting final verification by CAAM at the time of the accident. The Bolkow BO105 helicopter involved in the crash on September 8 at Long Lelang STOLport in Sarawak resulted in the deaths of the pilot and four health ministry personnel on board.

Preliminary investigations by the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (BSKU) confirmed the pilot's valid license and medical fitness, along with the aircraft's proper registration and airworthiness certificates at the time of departure. BSKU is anticipated to submit its initial public report to the Cabinet on October 16, with the final report projected within a year.

Following the crash, CAAM conducted verification inspections on other BO105 helicopters and aircraft sharing the same Rolls-Royce RR250 engine model between September 9 and September 12, after which operations resumed once compliance levels were deemed satisfactory.