Crash of an ATR72-600 off Pakse: 49 killed

Date & Time: Oct 16, 2013 at 1555 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RDPL-34233
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Vientiane - Pakse
MSN:
1071
YOM:
2013
Flight number:
LAO301
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
44
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
49
Captain / Total flying hours:
5600
Captain / Total hours on type:
3200.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
400
Aircraft flight hours:
758
Circumstances:
A first approach procedure to runway 15 was aborted by the crew due to insufficient visibility. On the circuit to complete a second approach in bad weather conditions, the ATR72-600 crashed some 8 km short of runway and was completely submerged in the Mekong River. None of the 49 occupants (44 pax and 5 crew) survived, among them 7 French citizens and 6 Australians. Aircraft left Vientiane at 1445LT and should arrive in Pakse one hour later. Aircraft was built and delivered to Lao Airlines in March this year. First crash involving an ATR72-600 series. Up to date, worst accident in Laos.
The Laotian Authorities released the following key sentences of analysis:
"Under IMC conditions, with no reference to the ground, the SOPs lead to conducting an instrument approach. In Pakse the VOR DME approach procedure is in force. There is no radar service. The flight crew has to fly to the initial approach fix or the intermediate fix at an altitude above 4600ft, then start the descent to 2300ft until final approach fix. Finally the flight crew descends to the minima (990ft), if visual references with the ground are available and sufficient the flight crew may continue until touchdown. If ground visual references are not available or not sufficient, the flight crew may level off up to the missed approach point and then must start the missed approach procedure. From the FOR data, the flight crew set 600 ft as the minima. This is contrary to the published minima of 990 ft. Even if the flight crew had used the incorrect height as published in the JEPPESEN Chart at that time the minima should have been set to 645 ft or above. The choice of minima lower than the published minima considerably reduces the safety margins. Following the chart would lead the flight crew to fly on a parallel path 345 ft lower than the desired indicated altitude. The recordings show that the flight crew initiated a right turn according to the lateral missed approach trajectory without succeeding in reaching the vertical trajectory. Specifically, the flight crew didn't follow the vertical profile of missed approach as the missed approach altitude was set at 600 ft and the aircraft system went into altitude capture mode. When the flight crew realized that the altitude was too close to the ground, the PF over-reacted, which led to a high pitch attitude of 33°. The aircraft was mostly flying in the clouds during the last part of flight."
Probable cause:
The probable cause of this accident were the sudden change of weather condition and the flight crew's failure to properly execute the published instrument approach, including the published missed approach procedure, which resulted in the aircraft impacting the terrain.
The following factors may have contributed to the accident:
- The flight crew's decision to continue the approach below the published minima
- The flight crew's selection of an altitude in the ALT SEL window below the minima, which led to misleading FD horizontal bar readings during the go-around
- Possible Somatogravic illusions suffered by the PF
- The automatic reappearance of the FD crossbars consistent with the operating logic of the aeroplane systems, but inappropriate for the go-around
- The inadequate monitoring of primary flight parameters during the go-around, which may have been worsened by the PM's attention all tunneling on the management of the aircraft flap configuration
- The flight crew's limited coordination that led to a mismatch of action plans between the PF and the PM during the final approach.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DL in Svay Rieng: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 20, 1974
Operator:
Registration:
XW-TFL
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Pakse - Svay Rieng
MSN:
9559
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
After landing at Svay Rieng Airport, the airplane became uncontrollable and skidded on runway. It veered off runway and collided with several wooded houses. All six occupants escaped uninjured while six people were killed on the ground.

Crash of a Lockheed AC-130A Spectre near Pakse: 14 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
56-0490
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ubon Ratchathani - Ubon Ratchathani
MSN:
3098
YOM:
1957
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Ubon Ratchathani Airbase to attack some trucks on the Ho Chi Minh Trail 12 passengers and a crew of four on board. While cruising at an altitude of 7,800 feet, the airplane was hit by 37 mm anti-aircraft fire. Two crew members parachuted to safety while 14 other occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Harry Roy Lagerwall, †
Cpt Stanley Neal Kroboth, †
Maj Paul Oswald Meder, †
Maj Francis Anthony Walsh, †
Cpt Joel Ray Birch, †
Cpt Thomas Trammell Hart, †
Cpt Robert Leonel Liles, †
2nd Lt George Duncan MacDonald, †
1st Lt Delmar Ernest Dickens, †
A1C Charles Frederick Fenter, †
T/Sgt Robert Thomas Elliott, †
T/Sgt James Ray Fuller, †
T/Sgt John Quitman Winningham, †
Sgt Richard Williams,
Sgt Carl E. Stevens,
A1C Rollie Keith Reaid. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a De Havilland C-7A Caribou in Salavan: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 23, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
401
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pakse - Pakse
MSN:
63
YOM:
1962
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While on a supply mission from Pakse and flying at low height, the airplane was struck by ground fire and crashed in flames in the region of Salavan. All four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by ground fire.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123K Provider in Paksong

Date & Time: Nov 6, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
648
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Pakse - Pakse
MSN:
20097
YOM:
1954
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Pakse on a supply mission, carrying foods and ammunition loaded on 14 pallets. While flying at low height, the airplane was hit by enemy fire. All four crew members decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that crashed in a huge explosion and was destroyed. All four crew members were unhurt.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-47D near Pakse: 35 killed

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1969 at 1115 LT
Operator:
Registration:
248
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Savannakhet - Pakse
MSN:
32580
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
31
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
35
Circumstances:
While descending to Pakse Airport, the crew encountered very bad weather conditions and was instructed to hold as a landing was impossible. Few minutes later, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances few km from the airfield, killing all 35 occupants, among them civilians.

Crash of a Bristol 170 Freighter 21E in Pakse: 47 killed

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-VNAI
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Hanoi – Saigon
MSN:
12809
YOM:
1946
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
51
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
47
Circumstances:
The aircraft was performing a special flight from Hanoi to Saigon, carrying refugees leaving the Red River. In-flight, the crew informed ATC about an engine failure and received the permission to divert to Pakse for an emergency landing. The airplane lost height and eventually crashed on the bank of the Sedone River, a tributary of the Mekong River. Three crew members and five passengers were seriously injured while 47 other occupants were killed. The aircraft was totally destroyed upon impact.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL in Thủ Dầu Một: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1951
Operator:
Registration:
F-OABX
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pakse – Saigon
MSN:
19634
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While approaching Saigon-Tân Son Nhât Airport, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located in Thủ Dầu Một, about 19 km north of the airfield. All five occupants were killed.