Preliminary report finds no maintenance record issues in fatal Long Lellang heli crash

Police D10 forensics team investigating the helicopter crash site in Long Lellang STOLport on Sept 9, 2026. Photo credit: Bomba Sarawak

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, Oct 17: The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia’s (CAAM) inspection of the Flying Doctor Service (FDS) helicopter operated by Layang Layang Aerospace Sdn Bhd that crashed in Long Lellang last month found no unclear records or flaws in its aircraft maintenance.

In a news report by Free Malaysia Today (FMT) published on Friday (Oct 16), Layang Layang group managing director Johan Poong Abdullah said the preliminary report on the helicopter crash found that the maintenance and management of all aircraft in Layang Layang’s stable were in order.

“The Air Accident Investigation Bureau’s report clearly stated that all related paperwork on the helicopter’s maintenance was in order. More information will be included in the final report,” he told FMT.

Quoting the report, Johan said the pilot held the appropriate licence, qualifications, and approvals required to conduct the flight in accordance with the applicable regulations.

“The pilot held a valid medical certificate and was medically fit to conduct the flight. The helicopter was determined to be airworthy at the time of dispatch and held valid certificates of registration and airworthiness,” he said.

On Thursday (Oct 15), Minister of Transport Loke Siew Fook said in the Dewan Rakyat that CAAM flagged three maintenance issues during an inspection of Layang Layang’s maintenance operations from Sept 1 to 4, and follow-up checks completed on Sept 6, two days before the crash.

Loke said the three issues concerned the company’s maintenance staffing plans, unclear records of certain scheduled maintenance checks, and inadequate written procedures for continuing operations after an emergency.

He said two of the issues had been resolved, while the third, involving the company’s calculation of staffing needs, was still pending final verification by CAAM when the crash occurred.

Johan said the inspection was a routine check for all aircraft operators before renewing their licences, adding that the three issues raised were unrelated to maintenance by its aircraft engineers.

He said the company renewed its operating licences for another three years after the inspection, before the crash.

“The parts about the maintenance staff planning and unclear records of scheduled checks have been clarified, and CAAM has accepted our clarification and adjustments.

“As for the issue of how the company calculated its staffing needs, we have explained that Layang Layang has enough manpower to operate its companies both in the peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.

The helicopter crashed near the Long Lellang Short Take-Off and Landing (STOLport) in Ulu Baram on Sept 8, killing all five on board—pilot Captain Zainol Afiq Bee Sham, 30; medical officer Dr Ainul Baraah Kamaruddin, 33; assistant medical officer Alexson Adit Henry, 31; and staff nurses Debra Moset, 40, and Jessie Paya Jok, 44. — DayakDaily