30th Anniversary of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH653

[Andrew Ong 1]

On December 4, 1977, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH653 was on a scheduled flight from Penang Bayan Lepas International Airport to Kuala Lumpur Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah "Subang" Airport. The pliot said that an unruly passneger was aboard and scheduled an emergemcy landing at Singapore, but the plane never made it to Singapore Changi International Airport . The plane was hijacked and crashed at Kampung Ladang, Johor Bharu, Malaysia . Here is the accident proflie:

 

Aircraft type: Boeing 737-2H6(Adv)

Crash site: Kampung Ladang, Johor Bharu, Malaysia

Registration number: 9M-MBD

Accident Date: December 4, 1977

Passengers: 93

Crew: 7

Fatalities: 100

Survivors: 0

Cause: Hijacking

 

**Note that this is the very first aircraft that the Malaysian Airline System (MAS-Malaysia Airlines) has ever lost.

 

Precrash photo:

 

 

**Courtesy of www.aviation-safety.net

 

Aftermath:

 

 

 

External Links:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia_Airlines_Flight_653

 

 

All I am doeing right now is that the 30th anniversary of MH653 is coming on December 7, 2007.

 

To visit the MH653 memorial site, go to Kampung Ladang, Johor Bharu.

 

The memorial's name (entrance) is:

 

Memperingati Mereka Yang Terkorban Dalam Nahas Kapalterbang Di Tanjong Kupang Johor Pada 4HB DIS 1977

 

Link:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:IMG_0089.JPG

 

[Azuddin 1]

that is one heck of tragedy. i heard that theres one cuban ambassador on board.

 

something confuse me, is the 732 in old livery or already in new livery that time? by the picture of the wreckage, it looks more like new livery.

[H Azmal 0]

Actually that 'wreckage' is not of 9M-MBD. That was OY-KAA, an Airbus A300 MAS leased from SAS, which crashed short of the runway in Subang in bad weather on 18th December 1983 while coming in to SZB from SIN.

 

This 4th December will only be its 29th anniversary, FYI. MH 653 would have landed in Paya Lebar then, not Changi, as the latter was not to be opened until 1981.

 

The memorial site is in Johor Bahru, BTW, not Kg Ladang in Tg Kupang.

Edited September 25, 2006 by H Azmal

[S V Choong 4]

Actually that 'wreckage' is not of 9M-MBD. That was OY-KAA, an Airbus A300 MAS leased from SAS, which crashed short of the runway in Subang in bad weather on 18th December 1983 while coming in to SZB from SIN.

 

That solved my mystery about why the cheatline is below the windows. On the 737s, the cheatlines are amongst the windows, whereas it is below the windows on MAS' Airbus A300B4-200.

[H Azmal 0]

Probably not for everybody, but interesting nonetheless - note how the 'story' varies a bit from some which we have read on this forum:

 

Abstract: The air crash at Tanjung Kupang, Johor on the 4th December 1977 was the first air accident for the Malaysia Airlines

(MAS) and the worst for Malaysia. A Boeing 737-200 with 100 passengers and crews was hijacked before it crashed. Evidences

from the accident pointed to an interference of hijackers to the aircraft flight operation. Simulating the accident helped

investigators to understand the probable cause of the accident. The Trajectory Reconstruction Method was used to obtain

necessary data for the accident simulation. Result from the simulation indicated that the ill-fated aircraft experienced three steeppitch-down pitch-up movements before it stalled and crashed.

Keyword: Air accident simulation, Trajectory Reconstruction Method.

 

 

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[Azreen 0]

My late father was supposed to be on that flite. He had missed the flite because he had stopped to pray at a nearby mosque. By the time he arrived at the airport, the flite was near closing but because there were VIPs and their gang on board, he was bumped out on the next flite. I still remember how we waited in agony at home. I guess communication was not easy those days. And my brother was born on 31 Dec 1977 thereafter. This incident left an everlasting mark on my mum and i (since I was the only child at that point).

[Jerry Ang 0]

Azreen, i suppose ur dad was really shock to believe what had happened at that moment. I'm glad he did not take that flight. RIP to those in memorial.

 

Anyway, i was juz wondering if there would be an episode of Air Crash Investigation for this crash. Would be interesting to watch...

 

That way, they can simulate everything for the reconstruction of the incident.

[Tamizi Hj Tamby 1]

Azreen,what an touching story.Thank god your late father didn't get onboard that fateful flight.

 

Thanks for sharing the story with us.

[Azreen 0]

It's my pleasure to share my memoirs. It's the closest air crash related disaster story I've experienced. It'll be good if they can do an Air Crash Investigation.

[Tamizi Hj Tamby 1]

That's an good idea! Hope that incident will enter the Air Crash Investigation series.

[affendi osman 0]

Ya....hope they will put it in...

 

As we can see, there are a lot of crashes, maybe it'll be more interesting rather than repeating the same stories.

 

 

Azreen,

 

I know that story. Ur momma told me, sounds eerie....

[Mohd Idham 0]

My late father was supposed to be on that flite. He had missed the flite because he had stopped to pray at a nearby mosque. By the time he arrived at the airport, the flite was near closing but because there were VIPs and their gang on board, he was bumped out on the next flite. I still remember how we waited in agony at home. I guess communication was not easy those days. And my brother was born on 31 Dec 1977 thereafter. This incident left an everlasting mark on my mum and i (since I was the only child at that point).

 

TAKBIR.....ALLAHUAKBAR...!!!!

[Teoh Z Yao 0]

It would be cool to see it on Air Crash Investigation... Shall we make a request if it doesn't?

[Azuddin 1]

Did the aircraft really plunge like that, I thought it suffer an explosive decompression since the wreckage scatter everywhere.

 

Azuddin

[H Azmal 0]

Did the aircraft really plunge like that, I thought it suffer an explosive decompression since the wreckage scatter everywhere.

 

Azuddin

 

Your source for that being...

[Azuddin 1]

Your source for that being...

 

I have no source, just some words I heard from my uncle who was nearby the crash site during the tragedy.

 

Azuddin

[Alan B. 5]

During SEP training this incident was discussed. I recall that an explosive decompression was the cause as told by our instructor. The slides of the crash site showed the site with remains and debris spread over a wide area.

[Jerry Ang 0]

It would be cool to see it on Air Crash Investigation... Shall we make a request if it doesn't?

 

How are we gonna do that?

[H Azmal 0]

Explosive decomp pulak..hahah so many twists to this story. I admit, this is the first time I hear the crash being attributed to explosive decomp.

 

But I tend to believe one of the actual investigators whom I had the fortune of getting in touch with. What he says is pretty much what is on wikipedia. Explosive decomp sounds like someone trying to sleaze a way out of embarrassment, IMO.

 

Just my 2p.

Edited July 7, 2007 by H Azmal

[Tamizi Hj Tamby 1]

This incident will always become a mystery...From this incident,to the tragic Tawau incident.

[Waiping 12]

Hi Guys,

 

I am new here. Just wanted to know how was the investigation into the tragedy was conducted. Did MAS or the Government then requested the help of Boeing to determine the cause of the crash and likewise the Tawau crash?

[Naim 6]

Happened 32 years ago today ...

[Azreen 0]

Had my late Papa been on time at Bayan Lepas, i would have been orphaned at a tender young age of 4!! He missed that flite because he came out late from the mosque... N during those days when communication was less mobile than nowdays, i cant imagine what my mum went thru waiting for dad n at the same time was pregnant, my brother was born on 31 Dec 1977!!

[Kee Hooi Yen 0]

<!--quoteo-->

<!--quotec-->Actually that 'wreckage' is not of 9M-MBD. That was OY-KAA, an Airbus A300 MAS leased from SAS, which crashed short of the runway in Subang in bad weather on 18th December 1983 while coming in to SZB from SIN.<!--QuoteEnd-->

<!--QuoteEEnd-->

 

That solved my mystery about why the cheatline is below the windows. On the 737s, the cheatlines are amongst the windows, whereas it is below the windows on MAS' Airbus A300B4-200.

 

I believe OY-KAA was still wearing the old livery at the time

OY-KAA Photo

 

The 'new' livery was introduced in late 80s or 90s

Edited December 4, 2009 by Kee Hooi Yen

[H Azmal 0]

I believe OY-KAA was still wearing the old livery at the time

OY-KAA Photo

 

The 'new' livery was introduced in late 80s or 90s

 

The old livery came in at least two flavours: The one you linked to, and another which is earlier than that:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Malaysia-Airlines/Airbus-A300B4-203/0657831/L/

 

MAS' change to the current 'new livery' began in 1987.

Edited December 4, 2009 by H Azmal