RSAF AIRCRAFT CRASH (Measures to prevent)

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Mr S. Chandra Das asked the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence (a) what were the reasons for the crash of the S-211 trainer aircraft near the mouth of Endau River on 9th February 1989; (b) whether the accident rate of the Republic of Singapore Air Force is within the norm as compared with other air forces of comparable size; (c) what measures are being taken to reduce similar occurrences; and (d) whether we have special arrangements with the Malaysian Government for search and rescue operations for accidents of this nature.

The Second Minister for Defence (Services) (BG Lee Hsien Loong)(for the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence): Mr Speaker, Sir, an RSAF S-211 trainer aircraft crashed on 8th February this year on a routine training flight. The Board of Inquiry investigating the accident has tentatively concluded that it was caused by a mechanical failure in the fuel supply system of the aircraft.

The RSAF accident rate compares favourably with other Air Forces of similar size. To prevent another similar accident, the RSAF has carried out additional checks on the fuel supply systems of all its S-211 aircraft. All the aircraft were found airworthy, and a full flying programme has resumed.

The Royal Malaysian Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Air Force have standing bilateral arrangements for Search and Rescue (SAR) operations. So have the Malaysian Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS). They exercise these arrangements regularly.

The Malaysian authorities cooperated fully in the rescue and salvage operations following the accident. The Mersing Police were most helpful at the crash site. The RMAF scrambled a helicopter from Kuantan to assist our pilots, and sent a detachment of armed guards to keep watch over the wreckage. The Kuala Lumpur Defence Operations Room and the RMAF Air Operations Centre processed RSAF flight requests and convoy clearance expeditiously. Mindef and the RSAF are grateful to the Malaysians for this generous assistance.