Zaharie Ahmad Shah

Pilot

Malaysian Penang, Malaysia

Quick Info

ProfessionPilot
NationalityMalaysian
Date of Birth31/07/1961
Age52 years (died on 08, Mar, 2014)
BirthplacePenang, Malaysia
Date of Death08/03/2014

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Bio/Wiki

Known forBeing the Pilot-in-Command (PIC) of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 that disappeared in 2014
Physical Stats & More
Height173 cm
Eye ColorBlack
Hair ColorBald
Career (Aviation)
AirlineMalaysia Airlines
Service Years1981-2014
Flying Experience18423:40 hours
Aircraft TypesBoeing 737-200, Airbus A300 B4, Fokker F27, Fokker F50, Boeing 737-400, Airbus A330-300, Boeing 777-200ER
Type Rating Instructor2007-2014 (Boeing 777-200ER)
Type Rating Examiner2007-2014 (Boeing 777-200ER)
MH370 (Timeline)
  • 7 March 2014 - Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah signed in for duty.
  • 8 March 2014 - Flight 370 failed to arrive at its scheduled destination, Beijing Capital International Airport.
  • 07/03/2014 - Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah signed in for duty at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
  • 08/03/2014 - Flight MH370 departed Kuala Lumpur at 00:41 UTC with 239 people on board. Last contact occurred when the aircraft entered Vietnamese airspace. The flight subsequently changed course and disappeared from radar screens.
Personal Life
ReligionIslam
Date of Birth31/07/1961
BirthplacePenang, Malaysia
Age (at the time of the disappearance of MH370)52 Years
Death CauseAll passengers and crew, including Zaharie Ahmad Shah, of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 are presumed dead after the aircraft disappeared on 08/03/2014.
Zodiac signLeo
Food HabitNon-vegetarian
AddressLaman Seri, a luxury gated community in Shah Alam, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Marital Status (at the time of death)Married
Years of Marriage30 years
Family
Siblings
  • Rawanis Ahmad Shah
  • Sakinab Shah
SpouseFaizah Khanum Mustafa Khan
Children
  • Ahmad Seth Zaharie
  • Ahmad Idris Zaharie
  • Aishah Zaharie
Total SiblingsNine children in family (second-youngest)
Style Quotient
Car CollectionBMW 5 Series
Some Lesser Known Facts
  • Zaharie Ahmad Shah was a Malaysian pilot who disappeared along with Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 on 8 March 2014.
  • After completing his formal education at Penang Free School in Malaysia, Zaharie pursued a career in aviation.
  • Zaharie loved flying radio-controlled aircraft models.
  • He was a non-vegetarian and had a great passion for cooking.
  • Zaharie Ahmad Shah was an active YouTuber.
  • Zaharie’s love for aviation extended beyond his professional duties. He had a passion for flying that prompted him to spend his leisure time on a self-made simulator.
  • Malaysian authorities suspected criminal activity during the investigation of MH370, causing a shift in their approach.
  • There have been rumours and speculations about the alleged relationship between Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah and Malaysian politician Anwar Ibrahim.
  • A docuseries titled ‘MH370: The Plane That Disappeared 2023’ was released on Netflix in 2023, shedding light on the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.
  • Zaharie completed his Malaysian Certificate of Education (MCE) at Penang Free School in 1978.
  • He was accepted as a Cadet Pilot with Malaysia Airlines in 1981 and trained in the Philippines for two years before graduating with a Commercial Pilot Licence in 1983.
  • Zaharie flew various aircraft types for Malaysia Airlines including Boeing 737-200, Airbus A300 B4, Fokker F50, Boeing 737-400, Airbus A330-300, and Boeing 777-200ER.
  • In 2007, he was made a Type Rating Instructor (TRI) and Type Rating Examiner (TRE) for the Boeing 777-200ER.
  • He was politically active, opposed to corruption in Malaysia, and did not like toll roads.
  • Zaharie was injured in a paragliding incident in 2007.
  • He lived in Laman Seri, a luxury gated community in Shah Alam consisting of double-storey bungalows and semi-detached houses.
  • Zaharie enjoyed cooking and fishing in his spare time.
  • He was the second-youngest of nine siblings born to a poor family in northern Penang state.
  • Zaharie joined Malaysia Airlines as a Second Officer on the Fokker F27 in 1983 after graduating with a Commercial Pilot Licence and Instrument Rating.
  • He was promoted to the Boeing 777-200 fleet as a Captain in 1998.
  • A docuseries titled 'MH370: The Plane That Disappeared' was released on Netflix in 2023, shedding light on the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.
  • He was politically active and opposed to corruption in Malaysia.
  • Among fellow aviators, Zaharie was renowned for his professionalism and was regarded by younger pilots as a mentor.
  • His sister Sakinab Shah has consistently defended his character, stating he had no money problems, mental health issues, marriage problems, substance abuse, or history of odd behaviour.
Information on this page is collected from public sources and may not be 100% accurate. Report an error
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