KUANTAN, Aug 22 (Bernama) -- The two Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) officers piloting the F/A-18D Hornet fighter jet successfully executed emergency ejection procedures before the aircraft crashed at Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Airport (Kuantan Air Base) late last night.
According to RMAF Chief Datuk Seri Muhamad Norazlan Aris, the pilot, Major Mohamad Azhar Alang Kamarudin, 34, sustained back injuries and suffered minor burns (one per cent) to his left heel, while the co-pilot, Weapons Systems officer Captain Mohamad Izzuddin Mohamad Salleh, 28, escaped with only bruises to several parts of his body.
“Both officers were initially treated at Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital and were discharged at 2 am today. They are now recuperating at the Malaysian Armed Forces Hospital.
“I have visited the crash site this morning to get a full briefing on the incident and to extend moral support to both officers,” he told a press conference at the air base here today.
He said the crash occurred during a routine night flying training exercise.
Muhamad Norazlan said the airport, also known as Kuantan Air Base, has been temporarily closed to facilitate a comprehensive cleanup operation dubbed “Mega Sweep.”
“This morning, we deployed personnel to comb every inch of the runway. Any foreign objects or debris are being collected to ensure the area is fully cleared,” he said.
Authorities are expected to confirm the runway's operational readiness by midday today.
Meanwhile, Muhamad Norazlan said the RMAF has formed an official board of inquiry to investigate the cause of the accident.
“The investigation team begins work today and will provide a preliminary report as soon as possible. Typically, such reports will be completed within 14 days,” he said.
From the viral video footage of the alleged causes of the crash, Muhamad Norazlan stated that RMAF investigators will examine it from various angles, including potential bird strikes, foreign object debris (FOD), and possible engine failure.
“The aircraft is equipped with a data collector system similar to a black box. We will analyse the data to determine what led to the crash.
“Until the cause is determined, all F/A-18D Hornet flights have been temporarily suspended,” he added.
The fighter jet involved was from No.18 Squadron, normally based at Butterworth Air Base, but had been temporarily deployed to Kuantan while Butterworth’s runway was undergoing an upgrade.
The RMAF F/A-18D Hornet fighter jet was reported to have crashed on the runway of the air base at 9.05 pm yesterday.
-- BERNAMA
