What happened
During a night flight originating from Singapore-Changi Airport, the crew initiated an approach to Kuala Lumpur-Subang Airport amidst severe weather characterized by heavy rainfall. While performing an ILS approach toward runway 15, visibility was significantly reduced, with the reported RVR measuring only 450 meters. After failing to establish visual contact with the runway, the pilot-in-command executed a go-around.
Following this initial attempt, four subsequent landing procedures were unsuccessful. During the sixth approach, the aircraft descended beneath the Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA). The aircraft type struck trees in a thick forest approximately 1,200 meters before reaching the runway, subsequently catching fire. The impact caused both engines and the undercarriage to be severed from the airframe, and a post-crash fire partially destroyed the wreckage.
All 247 occupants were evacuated from the aircraft following the impact. While everyone survived the crash, 20 injuries were reported among the passengers and crew.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified that the flight crew proceeded below the MDA without maintaining necessary visual contact with the runway environment. Contributing elements to the accident included the presence of poor weather conditions, limited visibility, and a failure to adhere to established operational procedures.