PETALING JAYA: The pilot in the 1976 plane crash that claimed the lives of then Sabah Chief Minister Tun Fuad Stephens and 10 others had a history of poor performance in flying, according to the declassified report on the crash.
The report said the pilot, Gandhi J Nathan, had a total of 3,062 flying hours, based on available records.
“Investigation of the pilot’s history indicated that he had some difficulty in passing both ground and air tests and only succeeded in gaining a Nomad endorsement on his licence in February 1976.”
The report said he had earlier received “a series of poor write-ups from the company’s check pilots”.
It added that Gandhi’s training and performance record with the company that operated the flight, Penerbangan Sabah, was “marginal”.
“The pilot’s original flying log book was claimed to have been burnt in June 1969 and the replacement log book was claimed to have been stolen in November 1975.
“The transfer of the total hours from the two previous flying log books cannot be authenticated nor is it verified by the company. The monthly summaries since the new log book was opened until the last entry was also never checked by the company.
“The total flying hours are only an approximation based on the available information in the pilot’s new log book and from the company’s flight authorisation book.”
It said Gandhi also failed to respond twice to Kota Kinabalu Air Traffic Control’s (ATC) request to report passing 2,000ft and on the landing clearance, before the plane crashed.
The report also said pathological tests on the pilot cleared him of suffering from any “effects” of alcohol or drugs. However, there was evidence to suggest he was tired and had a mild stomach upset.
The report said an estimated load of 325 pounds (about 147kg) was placed in the plane’s aft (rear) baggage compartment.
“The maximum permissible load in the aft baggage compartment is 198 pounds (about 89kg),” it pointed out.
However, it said the plane’s total weight at take-off was 8,065 pounds, lower than the set weight of 8,500 pounds.
The report recommended that Penerbangan Sabah be restricted to operating aircraft and helicopters under 6,000 pounds (over 2,721kg) until its operations and engineering procedures were improved and satisfied the civil aviation department.
“An aeronautical information circular should also be issued to all pilots and operators stressing the importance of complying with the load, fuel, defect, weather and acceptance procedures before any flight.”
The report was jointly prepared by the civil aviation department, the Royal Malaysian Air Force and the Australian Transport Department.
The Daily Express’ award winning team of journalists presents ‘Double Six: The Untold Stories’, a documentary on the plane crash in Sabah (East Malaysia) killing the newly-elected Chief Minister of Sabah Tun Mohd Fuad Stephens, four state ministers and six others on June 6th, 1976. After 46 years the findings of the crash also known to many as The Double Six Tragedy have not been disclosed. Note: This series unravels information not previously available to the public, but does not in any way attribute blame for the crash on any party.
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