TUDM to conduct technical probe into Hawk 108 crash
SYAJARATULHUDA MOHAMAD ROSLI AND TASNIM LOKMAN
SEBERANG JAYA - The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) will conduct a detailed investigation into the incident involving a Hawk 108 fighter jet that occurred at its Air base in Butterworth, Penang last night.
Deputy Air Force Chief Lieutenant-General Datuk Mohd Asghar Khan Goriman Khan told media members this during his visit to Seberang Jaya Hospital this morning.
He did not comment any further.
"We will conduct a detailed technical investigation. Aside from that, I will not comment," he said.
A pilot was killed and another injured when the aircraft crashed last night at 10.07pm at the air base here.
The deceased has been identified as Captain Mohamad Affendi, while the injured was Major Mohd Fareez Omar.
RMAF, in a statement last night, said Fareez was being treated at the Seberang Jaya Hospital and reported to be in stable condition.
Arrangements were being to handle the remains of Affendi, it added.
RMAF said both Affendi and Fareez were undergoing night flying when the incident happened.
Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, on his Facebook page last night, confirmed the incident and instructed for a probe into the matter.
He said he had been informed by RMAF chief General Tan Sri Ackbal Abdul Samad, adding that he was saddened by the incident.
"The RMAF has been ordered to give me a detailed report and investigate the cause of the incident." Hishammuiddin also conveyed his condolences to the family of the deceased pilot and ordered to channel assistance to families of the airmen involved in the incident.
The last incident involving a RMAF Hawk 108 fighter jet was in 2017 when one crashed in a swap in Chukai, Terengganu, killing both pilots onboard.
According to Bernama, between 1996 and 2017, there were nine incidents involving RMAF Hawk 108 fighter jets while the most recent crash at the Butterworth Air Force Base occured on Dec 21, 2016 when a Beechcraft B200T aircraft crashed killing the pilot and injuring three officers.
The Beechcraft B200T was used for training purposes.
