A Kamov Ka-32S helicopter registered as UR-CIT caught fire during an engine ground run test at Taxiway Victor in Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (Subang Airport) at 12:28 pm on August 15, 2026 [1, 2, 3]. Four Ukrainian crew members—pilot, co-pilot, and two others—were on board for maintenance and escaped unharmed [3, 4]. One person nearby was lightly injured by debris from the fire [3, 4].
The Selangor Fire and Rescue Department responded to an emergency call shortly after 12:30 pm and found the helicopter fully engulfed in flames, prompting airport fire services to begin immediate firefighting efforts, according to assistant director Ashrul Riezal Asbar [5].
Following the blaze, all flights to and from Subang Airport were suspended and the runway was closed [1, 2, 6]. This led to the diversion of eight inbound flights to alternative airports and delayed three departing flights [3, 7].
The runway was reopened at approximately 2:57 pm after safety checks, with airport operations gradually returning to normal [2, 3]. Captain Datuk Norazman Mahmud, CEO of the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia, said, “The runway was reopened for air traffic at 2.57pm. Passengers are advised to check with their respective airlines for the latest updates on their flights.” [8]
KarbonMRO, an aviation maintenance company, denied involvement in the incident. Its head of marketing, Trixie Guantero, stated, “The incident did not take place at KarbonMRO’s facility, and the helicopter involved is not a KarbonMRO customer.” [9]
The Air Accident Investigation Bureau of the Transport Ministry has launched an investigation under the Civil Aviation Regulations 2016 [1, 2].
