Draft:2022 Ipoh Piper PA-28 crash
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Comment: All sources besides the final report are from August 2022. Aviationwikiflight (talk) 08:15, 21 September 2025 (UTC)
_2010-07-04_Andre_Gerwing_Collection_ID_014545.jpg) The aircraft similar to the one that crashed | |
| Occurrence | |
|---|---|
| Date | 1 August 2022 |
| Summary | Engine power loss after takeoff |
| Site | Near Sungai Pinji, Medan Gopeng, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | PA-28-161 Warrior II |
| Operator | BATS Aviation |
| Call sign | BATS 03 |
| Registration | 9M-BAA |
| Flight origin | Sultan Azlan Shah Airport Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia |
| Destination | Sultan Azlan Shah Airport Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia |
| Occupants | 2 |
| Passengers | 0 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Fatalities | 1 |
| Injuries | 1 |
| Survivors | 1 |
On 1 August 2022, a Piper PA-28-161 Warrior II light aircraft operated by BATS Aviation crashed shortly after takeoff from Sultan Azlan Shah Airport in Ipoh, Malaysia. One Crew member flight instructor were killed in the accident, while on survivor suffer head injuries.[1]
Crew and aircraft
[edit]The accident aircraft was a Piper PA-28-161 Warrior II, registration 9M-BAA, operated by BATS Aviation Sdn. Bhd. At the time of the accident the airframe had a recorded total time of 22,149 hours 19 minutes.[2]
The check instructor was Fajim Juffa Mustafa Kamal, aged 52, who had logged 13,193 total flight hours, including 371 hours on the PA-28.[3][2] He was a former Royal Malaysian Air Force pilot who flew the Mikoyan MiG-29 and retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel.[4]
The instructor was Muhammad Din Fikri Zainal Abidin, aged 62. He held an Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) and had logged 3,738 total flight hours, including 180 hours on the PA-28. He was also rated on the Piper PA-34 Seneca.[5][2]
Accident
[edit]The training flight departed Sultan Azlan Shah Airport, Ipoh, at 20:04 local time with an instructor and a trainee pilot on board.[2]
At 20:07, the pilot transmitted a "MAYDAY" call to Ipoh Tower, reporting difficulties while the aircraft was circling near the airport.[2]
At approximately 20:10, the crash was reported by local authorities.[6] The aircraft subsequently impacted a field in Medan Gopeng, about 0.4 nautical miles from the airport runway threshold.[2]
Investigation
[edit]The accident was investigated by the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) of Malaysia, which published its final report in January 2023.[2]
Findings
[edit]The AAIB determined that both pilots were properly licensed and medically fit. The aircraft was maintained and airworthy, and its weight and balance were within limits. The engine did not suffer a sudden mechanical failure but was operating on reduced power during the initial climb. Two MAYDAY calls were made approximately three minutes after takeoff, and the aircraft impacted a water diversion culvert beside Sungai Pinji.
Causes / Contributing factors
[edit]Investigators found that the primary cause was human error. During the engine ground check, the ignition switch was inadvertently left in the “L” (left) position, meaning the engine operated on a single magneto and produced reduced power. The crew misidentified the emergency as a complete engine failure, and with limited height and time at night, they could not recover.
Contributing factors included last-minute scheduling changes, inadequate supervision at the operator’s control centre, and operational choices such as conducting a night takeoff from an intersection rather than the full runway length. Human factors such as complacency and coordination issues also played a role.
Safety recommendations
[edit]The AAIB recommended that the operator revise PA-28 standard operating procedures, implement a formal crew-change procedure, and require the use of full runway length for all night takeoffs at Ipoh. It also recommended that night flight briefings include an EFATO (engine failure after takeoff) brief and that forced-landing areas be identified and published around the aerodrome.
Aftermath
[edit]Fajim Juffa Mustafa Kamal was brought to his sister's house in Bandar Tasik Kesuma at about 5:41 pm on 2 August 2022, where family members paid their respects. His remains were then taken to Surau Al-Kauthar for funeral prayers before being laid to rest at the Bandar Tasik Kesuma Muslim Cemetery at 7:26 pm the same day. Around 500 people, including relatives, Royal Malaysian Air Force personnel and Chief of Defence Force General Tan Sri Affendi Buang, attended the funeral rites.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ "Flight instructor dies in Ipoh plane crash". The Malaysian Reserve. 2 August 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Aircraft Accident Final Report A 03/22 — 9M-BAA" (PDF). Ministry of Transport Malaysia / Air Accident Investigation Bureau. 16 January 2023. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
- ^ "Retired fighter pilot killed in light aircraft crash in Ipoh". The Star. 2022-08-01. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
- ^ Reporters, F. M. T. (2022-08-01). "Pilot dies, another injured in plane crash on Ipoh road". Free Malaysia Today | FMT. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
- ^ "Pilot killed in light aircraft crash laid to rest". Bernama. 3 August 2022. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
- ^ "Low-Flying Aircraft Crashed In Ipoh, Resulting In One Death And One Injured". SAYS. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
- ^ "Pilot killed in Ipoh light aircraft crash laid to rest". Malay Mail. 2 August 2022. Retrieved 2025-09-20.