Malaysia/Annex 13 Investigation Team

The Malaysian ICAO Annex 13 Safety Investigation Team for MH370

On Tuesday, 15 April 2014, 39 days after flight MH370 went missing on Saturday, 8 March 2014, the Malaysian Minister of Defence and Acting Minister for Transport, Hishamuddin Hussein, announced that Cabinet has agreed to set up an International Investigation Team to specifically look into the MH370 incident. The Team, officially named the The Malaysian ICAO Annex 13 Safety Investigation Team for MH370, was instituted by the Minister of Transport on Friday, 25 April 2014.

Background

Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 went missing on 8 March 2014. The aircraft, a Boeing 777-200ER aircraft, was registered 9M-MRO in Malaysia.

As a Contracting State of ICAO and in accordance with Chapter 5, paragraph 5.3[3] of Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation on Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation, Malaysia, had defined responsibilites:-

In light of the disappearance of MH370 on 08 March 2014 [MYT], Malaysia as the State of Registry, State of Operator and State of Occurrence was obliged to conduct an investigation into the incident. Accordingly, the Minister of Transport had on 25 April 2014, instituted an independent international Investigation Team known as The Malaysian ICAO Annex 13 Safety Investigation Team for MH370 with the sole objective of “prevention of future accidents or incidents and not for the purpose to apportion blame or liability.”

Source: Safety Investigation Report 2.7.1 Department of Civil Aviation Malaysia

The Minister of Transport Malaysia, Hishamuddin Hussein, established the The Malaysian ICAO Annex 13 Safety Investigation Team for MH370 under Regulation 126(1) of the Malaysian Civil Aviation Regulations (MCAR) 1996.

Objective

The sole objective of the investigation of an accident or incident shall be the prevention of accidents and incidents.
It is not the purpose of this activity to apportion blame or liability.

Source: ICAO Annex 13, Section 3.1

Reports

Sunday, 8 March 2015: Interim Statement: Safety Investigation for MH370 (9M-MRO); Factual Information: Safety Investigation for MH370 MH370/01/15
Tuesday, 8 March 2016: 2^nd Interim Statement: Safety Investigation for MH370 (9M-MRO)
Wednesday 8 March 2017: 3^rd Interim Statement: Safety Investigation for MH370 (9M-MRO)
Thursday, 8 March 2018: 4^th Interim Statement: Safety Investigation for MH370 (9M-MRO)
Monday, 2 July 2018: Safety Investigation Report MH370/01/2018
(Released to the public on Monday, 30 July 2018)

Structure

1. Members

The Investigation Team has 19 members, including Accredited Representatives from seven international Air Accident and Incident Investigation Organisations.

The Team is headed by a Chief Inspector/Investigator-in-Charge.

2. Accredited Representatives

The Accredited Representatives are from Air Accident and Incident Investigation Organisations in the following countries:-

Australia: Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB)
United Kingdom: Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB)
Singapore: Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB) of Singapore (formerly Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB))
France: Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation civile (BEA)
People's Republic of China: Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)
United States of America: National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
Indonesia: National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC)

3. Committees

The Team consists of three Committees, each headed by a Chairman:-

Operations Committee: Chairman: Capt. Abdul Wahab Ibrahim
Airworthiness Committee: Chairman: Mr. Mohan Suppiah
Medical/Human Factors Committee: Chairman: Datuk Dr. Mohd Shah Mahmood

4. Advisors

Advisors to the Accredited Representatives were appointed from the States’ investigation agencies, as well as the aircraft, engine and satellite communications systems manufacturers.

Focus of the Investigation

The eight areas being reviewed by the Team are as follows:

Diversion from Filed Flight Plan Route
Air Traffic Services Operations
Flight Crew Profile
Airworthiness & Maintenance and Aircraft Systems
Satellite Communications
Wreckage and Impact Information
Organisation and Management Information of the Department of Civil Aviation, Malaysia and Malaysia Airlines; and
Aircraft Cargo Consignment.

Malaysian Members

Dato’ Ir. Kok Soo Chon (Investigator-in-Charge)

Capt. Abdul Wahab Ibrahim

Mr. Mohan Suppiah

Datuk Dr. Mohd Shah Mahmood

Assoc. Prof. Ir. Abu Hanifah Hj Abdullah

Mr. Amirudin Ab Ghani

Mr. Aslam Basha Khan

Dato’ Capt. Jalil Mat Dom

Mr. Khaw Sim Min

Ms. Khoo Lay See

Mr. Lim Kim Seang

Dato’ SAC Mohd Rafique Ramli Ariffin

Mr. Muhammad Imran Ismail

Ms. Norwalena Abdul Wahab

Prof. Dr. Pathmanathan Rajadurai

Dato’ Dr. Suarn Singh A/L Jasmit Singh

Ms. Swandra Kim Chu Ramachandran

Mr. Tan Huvi Vein

Dr. Toh Chin Lee

Capt. Abdul Razak Hashim

Source: Safety Investigation Report

Website

The Malaysian ICAO Annex 13 Safety Investigation Team for MH370 web site was hosted by the Ministry of Transport, Malaysia on the following page MH370 Safety Investigation http://mh370.mot.gov.my/

Prior to July 2018 the site included links to the Interim Statements and Factual Information. Following the release of the Safety Investigation Report on 2 July 2018 only the Report and the Appendices are available.

The Malaysian ICAO Annex 13 Safety Investigation Team for MH370 has not made any other information public; has not issued any Media Statements; and has not listed the names of persons involved, apart from the Malaysian members.

Spokesperson

The Investigator-in-Charge, Dato’ Ir. Kok Soo Chon was the spokesperson for the Team and addressed Next of Kin and then the Media, when the Safety Investigation Report MH370/01/2018 was released.