SUBANG JAYA, MALAYSIA —A Ukraine-registered Kamov Ka-32S helicopter caught fire following a minor explosion during a ground maintenance engine test at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (Subang Airport) on August 15, 2026. The incident occurred on Taxiway Victor around 12:30 PM local time while technicians and pilots were conducting post-repair engine run-ups. All four Ukrainian crew members aboard—the pilot, co-pilot, and two ground technicians—managed to safely evacuate the aircraft without injuries, though one person on the ground sustained minor injuries after being struck by flying debris. Emergency response teams from the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department and the airport's Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting unit responded quickly, but the helicopter was fully engulfed by the time fire suppression began.

The explosion and fire caused temporary disruptions to operations at Subang Airport as the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia immediately halted flights. To allow emergency teams to secure the site and clear debris from the area, the runway was closed for approximately two and a half hours, leading to eight incoming flights being diverted to nearby airports and delaying three scheduled departures before normal operations resumed at 2:57 PM. Malaysia’s Air Accident Investigation Bureau, operating under the Ministry of Transport, has opened a formal investigation to identify the exact cause of the explosion and structural failure.