BOLKIAH GARRISON, Saturday 1 Sept 2012 - A Press Conference session was held today at Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies, Bolkiah Garrison.
The conference served to inform on the findings of the Top Board of Inquiry on the Bell212 aircraft owned by Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) that crashed resulting the deaths of 12 people and injuries to 2 members of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF).
Representing the panel from the Ministry of Defence during the press conference was Dato Paduka Haji Mustappa bin Haji Sirat, Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Hj Abidin, Commander of Royal Brunei Armed Forces, and the First Admiral Dato Seri Haji Abdul Halim bin Haji Mohd Hanifah, Commander of the Royal Brunei Navy who is also the Chief of the Top Board of Inquiry (BOI).
Report from the Chief of the Top Board of Inquiry has stated that the Bell 212 aircraft belonging to the RBAirF with 14 personnel (three members of the crew and 2 trainers, 1 staff and 8 Officer Cadets, Officer Cadet School) has crashed near the Wasai Wang Tebadak, Mukim Labi on Friday, July 20, 2012 while on return assignment transporting personnel who had undergone military training from the landing site KB 404 to landing site KB 199. The aircraft was believed to have crashed at about 10.15 am.
The RBAirF aircraft departed from the air base at approximately 8:55 am and the last aircraft radio contact with the Brunei Radar was at 9:17 am. According to the Department of Civil Aviation Air Traffic Control flight procedures, each aircraft operating in national air space is required to make the 'ops normal calls every 30 minutes. However, no contact was made after that and the Air Traffic Control, Civil Aviation Department neither took action for 'INCERFA' (uncertainty Phase) nor inform the RBAF to execute distress procedure. This continued until a few hours later resulting in "alerting service" not being carried out according to procedures.
Search and Rescue operations only began when the aircraft was certified to be missing by the RBAirF at about 1:53 pm. Aircraft debris were found in the area near Wasai Wang Tebadak at about 3:55 pm.
Ministry of Defence and RBAF had set up a Top Board of Inquiry on July 25, 2012. The board is responsible for conducting the investigation into the aircraft crash and to find the causes and facts related to the accident and to make recommendations to prevent the re-occurrence of such incident.
The Board of Inquiry was also assisted by a number of specialist organizations from overseas such as aircraft investigation of Pratt and Whitney Canada and Bell Textron United States and the United States Army Combat Readiness Center - Air Accident Investigation Team. The Board of Inquiry identified the following facts:
a. Environment. The weather condition was good during the incident and did not affect flight operations.
b. Material. Aircraft 'Worthiness' was at the appropriate level. There was no evidence indicating that the aircraft encountered any technical problems prior to the crash. The finding was also individually confirmed by the 3 foreign investigating teams.
b. Material. Aircraft 'Worthiness' was at the appropriate level. There was no evidence indicating that the aircraft encountered any technical problems prior to the crash. The finding was also individually confirmed by the 3 foreign investigating teams.
Factual causes of the accident are as follows:
a. Human Factor. The main cause of the aircraft crash was due to human error. The aircraft was involved in Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT) while conducing unauthorized low level flying.
b. Procedure. Pilot had conducted a flight in breach of the procedures, that is unauthorised low level flying.
The Board of Inquiry, through a closer look, found that prior to the incident, the pilot had conducted an unauthorised low level flying with speeds around 60-80 knots in the Wasai Wang Tebadak area (LP KB 195A) and subsequently banking the aircraft at an estimated 45 degrees to follow the path of the river. The aircraft drifted and had strayed from the original height due to G-force factor. The aircraft crashed into the branches of the first tree and not following the intended route when in straight and level condition. At the last moment, the aircraft attempted to raise the height of the aircraft but failed and continued to hit two large trees.
Several firm recommendations were forwarded in the first preliminary report on August 6, 2012 and a number of actions in particular in strengthening the process and procedures as well as safety aspects have been taken. The full report will be presented on 16 September 2012, including advisory to ensure that such incident does not reoccur. Insya'Allah.
Simultaneously today, a separate briefing session was also held on the Top Board of Inqurity report for family members of the RBAF personnel involved in the Bell212 aircraft crash incident. The session was held in the afternoon at the Officers' Mess, Bolkiah Garisen.
- MinDef Website
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