Ba Kelalan: One of MASWings’ DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft crash-landed on a rice field here yesterday morning.

The incident at 9.35am left the Malaysian pilot, co-pilot and 12 passengers of flight MH 3540 from Lawas shaken.

The pilot was reported to be slightly injured.

Among those on board were Australians, Bruneians and local Lun Bawangs including Tagal Paran, the father of the late Datuk Dr Judson Sakai Tagal who was killed with six others in a helicopter crash near the foot of Mt Murud on July 12, 2005.

His other son, Mutang Tagal, a former MP of Bukit Mas, when contacted confirmed that his father was on board and was grateful to God that a tragedy has been averted.

Ba Kelalan assemblyman Nelson Balang Rining who visited the Department of Civil Aviation’s control tower in Lawas shortly after the incident, said the aircraft landed in the field, about 10 metres off the mid-section of the runway.

According to reliable sources, the aircraft flew too low as it made a turning approach to the runway, passing through the valley at Long Langgai, and landed short of the threshold level marker RWY 23.

It is not immediately known if one of the landing gears hit the perimeter fence but the descending aircraft barrelled down left and grinded to a halt in the soft field, miraculously missing the terminal building on the left at Buduk Nur.

The short take-off and landing (STOLport) airstrip is flanked by rice fields, apple farm and the terminal building on the left.

On the right are buildings of Kampung Buduk Nur.

Beyond the furthest end are hills and a stream.

The approach and landing is through the only opening at the end nearest the terminal building.

The cause of the incident is not immediately known and it is still under investigation by the Department of Civil Aviation, MAB and MASwings.

According to the locals, the weather was fine and the pilot knows the terrain and the airstrip.

Everyone scrambled out of the aircraft in a daze but was happy to be alive as shocked residents of Buduk Nur shook their heads at the near-miss.

Ba Kelalan assemblyman Nelson Balang Rining said the incident was unexpected as the weather was fine but was thankful that everyone was safe and sound.

“MASwings said it would be sending a rescue aircraft with engineers this afternoon as the runway is not closed,” he said when contacted by telephone.

Managing director of MASwings, Dr Amin Khan, said there were no casualties, and MASwings’ general manager in Miri, Wan Abdul Rahim Ishak, confirmed that the incident did occur.

He said a rescue team of three engineers from MASwings was leaving Miri for Ba Kelalan at 2.45pm to get an overall picture of the incident.

All passengers on the affected flight from Ba Kelalan via Lawas will board the rescue team’s flight back to Miri, he said.

The engineers will check if the aircraft had any fault or damage, he said, adding that the extent of damage to the aircraft was not immediately known.

Wan also reported that there was no casualty, and that both pilots were Malaysians.

Malaysian Airport Bhd manager in Miri, Sunif Naiman, confirmed receiving a report on the incident, and said investigations by the Department of Civil Aviation were underway.