Light aircraft makes emergency landing on PLUS Highway, no one hurt

KULAI: A Beechcraft Bonanza F35 light aircraft made an emergency landing on the south-bound side of KM47.8 North-South (PLUS) Highway in Sedenak, near Kulai, today after encountering engine problems, police said.

Kulai district police chief Supt Tok Beng Yeow said the two pilots onboard were unhurt in the 11.05 am incident.

Pilot Dr Yang Kuang Ying, 52, and co-pilot Saleehullah Abdul Majid, 41, both Singaporeans, were then conducting a routine flight for the purpose of fulfilling their flight records, he told reporters at the Kulai district police headquarters here.

“They had left Seletar Airport in Singapore at 10.50 am, headed for Batu Berendam Airport in Melaka.

“They were on their return journey when they encountered engine failure at 11.05 am over the Simpang Renggam area at an altitude of 5,000 feet,” he added.

Tok said Dr Yang, who has recorded 480 hours of flight time in his 12 years of flying experience, and the co-pilot then decided to make an emergency landing.

They managed to land the aircraft on the highway without damaging the aircraft or injuring themselves, he said.

He said the pilot claimed that the aircraft belonged to him and that they had permission from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) to conduct the routine flight without a cross-border permit.

Tok said the case had been handed over to the CAAM for further investigation.

Renggam fire and rescue station chief Asyraf Nur Mohd Yusoff said 10 firemen in a fire engine were sent to the location after being alerted to the incident by PLUS Ronda and Kulai traffic police.

Asyraf Nur said on reaching the scene at 11.32 am, they saw the light aircraft sitting on the emergency lane on the left side of the highway, causing traffic congestion.

"Checks showed that the aircraft was not damaged and the two pilots did not suffer any injuries,” he added.

Asyraf Nur said with the help of policemen, they pushed the aircraft to a vacant plot of grassfield by the side of the highway to ease traffic flow.

CAAM chief executive officer Captain Chester Voo said the two pilots were reported to be in ‘stable condition’ after making the emergency landing.

"The Johor CAAM air traffic control tower received a call at 10.40 am from the aircraft pilot asking for permission to turn back to the Senai International Airport in Johor Bahru because of technical problems,” he said in a statement.

-- BERNAMA