KUALA LUMPUR – The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from the plane that crashed near Elmina in Shah Alam last Thursday will be sent to its Florida-based manufacturer in the United States to retrieve the last 30 minutes of data before the crash for analysis.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the CVR was initially sent for analysis at a laboratory in Singapore last Saturday but there were technical issues and limitations that prevented the retrieval of the audio recording.
“The head of the Air Accident Investigation Bureau will return to Kuala Lumpur this afternoon and brief me… we will try as soon as possible, either later today or tomorrow morning, to send them there (to Florida).
“... To answer the question of what happened, we have to seek assistance from external parties, and my priority is to provide answers to the families of the victims and the public as quickly as possible,” said Loke, who was speaking at a press conference after the launch of the Malaysian Aviation Safety Seminar here today.
Yesterday, Loke reportedly said the Air Accident Investigation Bureau had faced difficulties in retrieving data from the charred CVR, whose memory puck was still intact.
He said experts in Singapore would retrieve data from the final 30 minutes of voice recording captured in the memory puck before the crash happened.
According to the minister, the full report on the crash involving the Beechcraft Model 390 (Premier 1) plane could take up to a year to complete, but based on international guidelines, a preliminary report would be issued within a month from the date of the incident.
Responding to public inquiries regarding the role of the Transport Ministry in regard to the tragedy, the minister explained that when an air accident occurs, the investigation no longer falls under the responsibility of police or the Home Ministry, but comes under the job scope of the Air Accident Investigation Bureau, which is under the Loke’s ministry.
“It’s not the case of interfering, it’s about the responsibility for human lives and safety. I want to clarify that matters involving air accidents are under the Air Accident Investigation Bureau and they report directly to the minister of transport… that’s how it’s structured in our aviation administration,” he said.
The Beechcraft 390 Premier 1 aircraft flying from Langkawi to Subang crashed onto the Guthrie Highway at about 2.50pm on August 17, killing all eight people onboard, including Pahang executive councillor Datuk Seri Johari Harun.
An e-hailing driver and a p-hailing rider on the highway were also killed. – Bernama, August 22, 2023
