The civil aviation authority (CAAM) said Ipoh tower had received a mayday call from the aircraft at 8.07pm shortly after takeoff.

“One pilot succumbed to his injuries while the other pilot suffered serious injuries and is currently receiving medical assistance,” said Capt Chester Voo, chief executive of CAAM.

A spokesman for Perak fire and rescue services said flight instructor Fajim Juffa Mustafa Kamal, 52, had died in the crash while chief flight instructor Din Fikri Zainal Abidin, 62, was injured.

Fajim was a former MiG-29 pilot with the air force who retired with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, according to his friend, veteran journalist and Gergasi TV director Syahril Kadir.

Syahril said on Facebook that Fajim had survived a previous jet crash in 2005.

The aircraft, a two-seater Piper 28-161 with registration 9M-BAA, is operated by BATS Aviation Sdn Bhd, which has a flight training centre based at Ipoh airport.

Transport minister Wee Ka Siong, who described the accident as a “serious flying school aircraft incident”, instructed aviation authorities to carry out a thorough investigation.

The fire and rescue department said the accident occurred on Jalan Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, near Medan Gopeng.

Videos and pictures have been making the rounds on social media showing a blue and white aircraft nose down in a ditch.

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