Malaysian Airline System Flight 684

Malaysian Airline System Flight 684 departed Singapore Changi Airport in Changi, Singapore on 18 December 1983 at 18:53 local time. As the flight approached Subang International Airport (now Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport) in Subang, Selangor, Malaysia at 19:20 local time, it was cleared for an instrument landing despite poor runway visibility of 450 m (1,480 ft) due to rain. Airline policy required visibility of at least 800 m (2,600 ft), but the pilot assumed control from the first officer and began his descent. Furthermore, the air crew did not turn on the Instrument Landing System on the aircraft due to increased workload which was exacerbated further due to the different cockpit switch configuration between the A300 owned by Malaysia Airlines & that of the crashed aircraft, which was leased from Scandinavian Airlines System.[3]

The altimeter warning sounded and within 30 seconds the aircraft struck trees 2 km (1.2 mi) short of the runway. The plane slid along the ground for 436 m (1,430 ft), skipped for 36 m (118 ft), and finally struck a stream embankment where it slid another 109 m (358 ft) before coming to rest. The aircraft was still 1,200 m (3,900 ft) short of the runway and had lost its landing gear and both engines.[1]

All 247 passengers and crew survived, evacuating the aircraft before the fire destroyed it.

The probable cause was ascribed to pilot error in not monitoring descent rate during approach in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) and continuing an approach below company minima without sighting the runway.[4]

• Malaysia Airlines Flight 684 report