Date: Sunday 19 February 1989
Time: 06:36
Type: Boeing 747-249F
Owner/operator: Flying Tiger Line
Registration: N807FT
Fatalities: 4
Occupants: 4
Departure airport: Singapore-Changi International Airport (SIN/WSSS)
Destination airport: Kuala Lumpur Subang International Airport (KUL/WMKK)
The morning of Sunday, February 19, 1989, held a tragic end for Flying Tiger Line flight 066. The Boeing 747-249F, a freighter affectionately named "Thomas Haywood" and bearing the registration N807FT, embarked from Singapore's Changi International Airport at 06:36 local time. Its destination was Kuala Lumpur Subang International Airport, carrying a cargo of textiles, computer software, and mail, along with a crew of four.
As the "Thomas Haywood" neared Kuala Lumpur, air traffic control cleared the flight to head directly to the Kayell beacon, the initial point for a runway 33 approach. The crew commenced a non-precision NDB approach, relying on radio signals for guidance. It was during this critical phase that a fateful miscommunication occurred. Instructed by air traffic control to "...descend two four zero zero...", the crew tragically misheard and acted upon the instruction as "...to 400...".
This misunderstanding initiated a descent far below the safe altitude for the terrain. Moments later, the massive Boeing 747 struck a hillside at 600 feet above mean sea level, a mere 180 meters, just short of reaching the Kayell NDB where the minimum descent height was a significantly higher 2400 feet. The impact with the treetops marked the beginning of the aircraft's disintegration, culminating in a devastating burst of flames. Sadly, all four individuals on board perished in the accident. The investigation concluded that the most probable cause of the accident was the flight crew's misinterpretation of the descent clearance while attempting a non-precision instrument approach, which led to the aircraft striking a hill at 481 feet above mean sea level. This tragic event underscores the critical importance of clear communication and precise execution in aviation.
https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/326363
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