Cockpit audio recording captures final moments before plane crashed into hillside killing three crew members

An eerie recording capturing the final moments before a plane crashed on the approach to a busy capital city airport has gone viral.

Next month will mark the 36th anniversary of the fatal collision in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where three crew members and one passenger were onboard.

On February 18, 1989, a Boeing 747-200 operated by Flying Tigers Line flying from Singapore Changi International Airport to Subang International Airport, in Kuala Lumpur, crashed nine miles to the south east of the runway.

The investigation into what happened described the incident as 'not a survivable accident', as it crashed into a hillside.

The incident took place shortly after 6.30am local time, with a sunrise typically taking place around 7.20am.

The Flying Tigers Line crashed just nine miles south east of its destination (Paul Wright/Fairfax Media via Getty Images)

Chilling cockpit audio

A recording from the cockpit was later made public, and has since been uploaded to Twitter.

"So you got the ILS [Instrument Landing System - which provides both vertical and lateral guidance information for pilots to allow safe landings to touchdown] set, right?" the captain asks his co-pilot.

The first officer responds: "Yeah."

"I'm gonna put you on 14-7 [pilot code], that will give you..." the captain says, before cutting out as he realizes the plane is approaching a hillside.

"Oh," another crew member says.

"I've got a hundred feet on this - S***!" adds someone in the cockpit.

Chillingly, for the entire 29-second recording, the ground proximity warning system is sounding - repeatedly saying 'pull up'.

A fatal misunderstanding

An accident report concluded that the incident occurred due to the pilot misreading an announcement from ground control over the radio.

The conclusion, which includes aviation lingo, read: "The commander, after being cleared by ATC to carry out a NDB approach runway 33, misread the descent clearance and descended to 400ft instead of 2400ft.

"The descent to 400ft was initiated when the flight was still approximately 7 NM (nautical miles) prior to reaching the Kilo Lima beacon.

"Though the flight crew knowingly descended the aircraft, the descent profile was not in conformity with required NDB procedures."

Responding to the incident on the social media platform Twitter, one user wrote: "Such a tragic event. This highlights the importance of proper training and communication in aviation safety."

"Tragic incident highlighting the importance of crew coordination and adherence to procedures. A somber reminder of aviation safety," added another.

A third penned: "In Years to come when People look back at our Mode of Air Transport and realise the risks we took Flying about in an inflatable Aluminium Tube filled with Explosive Flammable Liquid they will definitely question our Sanity!"