Pilot killed in airshow

The aircraft crashed in a jungle near Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) sports complex here at 10.15 am on Thursday. -- PHOTO: STAR

ALOR SETAR - A PILOT was killed when his Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) aircraft exploded and caught fire in midair during a solo airshow on Thursday, watched by thousands of horrified spectators.
The aircraft crashed in a jungle near Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) sports complex here at 10.15 am on Thursday.
Major Muhammed Zulrihan Jusof, a trainer at RMAF Flying College in Kepala Batas near Alor Setar, was killed on the spot.
A statement from Malaysia's Defence Ministry said the PC-7 MK II aircraft piloted by Zulrihan left RMAF base in Kepala Batas at 10.03am.
A RMAF search and rescue team found Zulrihan's body not far from the aircraft and used a Nuri helicopter to airlift him from the jungle area to a hospital in Alor Setar.
Zulrihan, who was doing a solo show to mark UUM's 23rd convocation, was attempting a difficult manoeuvre when the aircraft crashed.
'After about 300 metres from the sports complex, the aircraft made two manoeuvres, ascended 90 degrees and suddenly came sliding down,' said AzlanJamaluddin, 26, a former UUM student.
Azlan, who was about 500 metres from the crash site, said he heard two big explosions before the aircraft crashed.
UUM College of Arts and Science student Siti Fatimah Kamal, 22, said she and her friends saw the aircraft ascending 90 degrees and then plunging.
'We heard two explosions and fled to safety,' she said.
A board of inquiry had been set up to investigate the cause of the crash, RMAF said in a statement on Thursday. -- BERNAMA

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