A Kamov KaV-32S helicopter exploded and caught fire during an engine test at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport on 15 August, forcing the temporary closure of the runway and diverting eight inbound flights.
Four Ukrainian nationals, comprising the pilot, co-pilot and two crew members, escaped the burning aircraft. One of them suffered minor injuries from flying debris.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) said the incident occurred at 12.28pm at Taxiway Victor while the helicopter was undergoing a ground engine run-up test as part of maintenance activities. The aircraft, registered UR-CIT in Ukraine, was owned by a Ukraine-registered company, CAAM chief executive officer Capt Datuk Norazman Mahmud said in a statement.
The Selangor Fire and Rescue Department said it received an emergency call at 12.30pm. Five personnel and a fire engine from the Balai Bomba dan Penyelamat Bukit Jelutong were dispatched and arrived four minutes later. The helicopter was already fully engulfed in flames when firefighters reached the scene.
“The helicopter was 100 per cent on fire when the fire brigade arrived. Four victims managed to escape when the fire broke out,” Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Ashrul Riezal Asbar said in a statement, as reported by FMT. Firefighting efforts were carried out jointly with the Airport Fire and Rescue Service and personnel at the maintenance area.
CAAM temporarily closed the runway following the explosion, suspending all departures and arrivals. During the closure, eight inbound flights were diverted to other airports while three departing flights were delayed, Norazman told The Star. Flight information displays at the airport showed revised schedules for several flights to various destinations.
“The runway was reopened for air traffic at 2.57pm. Passengers are advised to check with their respective airlines for the latest updates on their flights,” he said.
CAAM said the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) of the Transport Ministry will probe the incident in accordance with Part XXVI of the Civil Aviation Regulations 2016.
KarbonMRO, an aviation maintenance company at the airport, said in a statement that the helicopter was not its customer and the incident did not take place at its facility.
