Bird strike on runway caused fighter jet crash, Air Force inquiry finds

KUANTAN: The crash involving the Air Force’s F/A-18D Hornet fighter jet at the Kuantan Air Base was due to a bird strike.

Air Force Chief General Datuk Seri Muhamad Norazlan Aris said that its board of inquiry found that the bird strike involving a heron on the runway caused the aircraft’s left engine to fail.

“This conclusion was based on CCTV analysis, data from the Deployable Flight Incident Recorder System with assistance from the United States Navy, technical data as well as analysis obtained from the Defence Science and Technology Research Institute, the Chemistry Department, the police and the Wildlife and National Parks Department,” he said at the Kuantan Air Base on Thursday (Sept 18).

He added that F/A-18D Hornet operations would proceed as usual as the aircraft had completed flight training to evaluate their current status.

“I am confident that there are no (aircraft-related) issues that could lead to technical problems. It was more of an unavoidable incident as a relatively large bird caused the aircraft to be unable to take off that night,” he said.

Muhamad Norazlan added that the crash occurred when the F/A-18D Hornet aircraft was taking off at a speed of 146 knots and at an altitude of nearly 10m before the two crew members ejected from the plane.

He said airbase authorities also ensured that the runway was safe to use after conducting bird dispersal operations.

“Perhaps a bird was on the runway at the wrong time and location, which led to the collision,” he said.

Meanwhile, he said that pilot Major Mohamad Azhar Alang Kamarudin, 34, and weapon systems officer Captain Mohamad Izzuddin Mohamad Salleh, 28, are currently in recovery and are expected to return to duty on Oct 2.

“They are still resting and attending periodic medical check-ups. If their condition permits, they will begin training using the simulator before resuming normal flight operations,” he said.

On Aug 21, the two Air Force personnel were involved in the F/A-18D Hornet fighter jet crash at Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Airport here. – Bernama