Crash of a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 in Phuket: 90 killed

Date & Time: Sep 16, 2007 at 1540 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HS-OMG
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bangkok - Phuket
MSN:
49183/1129
YOM:
1983
Flight number:
OG269
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
123
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
90
Captain / Total flying hours:
16752
Captain / Total hours on type:
4330.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1465
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1240
Aircraft flight hours:
65965
Aircraft flight cycles:
35498
Circumstances:
On 16 September 2007 at approximately 14:30 hours, One Two Go Airlines' McDonnell-Douglas MD-82 airplane with nationality and registration mark HS-OMG, departed on a scheduled passenger flight number OG269 from Don Mueang International Airport for Phuket International Airport with 123 passengers and 7 crew members on board. The Pilot-in-Command (PlC) seated on the left was a Pilot not Flying (PNF) / Pilot Monitoring and the Co-pilot seated on the right was a Pilot Flying (PF). The flight was en route on airways G458 at Flight Level (FL) 320 (32,000 feet) and the estimated time of arrival at Phuket International Airport was 15:50 hours. At 15:36:21, during the time that flight OG269 was approaching the Phuket International Airport, the Orient Thai Airlines flight OX2071, while vacating from Runway 27 after landed at the Phuket International Airport, reported the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) of the weather condition prior to landing that Cumulonimbus (CB) was over the airport area and there was windshear at 5 nautical miles before reaching the Instrument Landing System (ILS) station, resulted in airspeed gain and loss of 15 knots. The ATC asked flight OG269 whether they acknowledged the weather conditions reported by flight OX2071, because both flights were on the same aerodrome radio frequency (118.1 MHz). The PlC of flight OG269 acknowledged the information and extended the landing gears for landing. At 15:37:31, the ATC informed flight OG269 of surface winds from 240 degrees at 15 knots and gave clearance to land on Runway 27 with-wet runway precaution. At 15:38:27, the ATC informed flight OG269 of surface winds from 240 degrees at 30 knots and asked the flight OG269 to state its intention of landing. The flight OG269 affirmed. At 15:39:00, the flight OG269 requested for information of surface wind condition. The ATC informed a surface wind condition of 240 degrees at 40 knots and the flight OG269 acknowledged. At that instant, the Radio Altitude Aural Call-Out system automatically called out '500 feet' and the PlC called out that the airspeed was at 136 knots. At 15:39:23, the PlC ordered for more engine power and reminded the copilot that the airplane was descending below the ILS glide path. The copilot affirmed the correction. The PIC then ordered to increase engine power three more times. During that time, the airplane was at the altitude of 100 feet. At 15:39:45, the Radio Altitude Aural Call-Out system automatically called out '40 feet' and the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) called out 'sink rate - sink rate' . At 15:39:49, the copilot called out for a go-around and the PIC said 'Okay, Go Around'. At 15.39.50, the copilot called for 'flaps 15' and transferred the airplane control to the PIC. Then, the PIC told the copilot to set the autopilot airplane heading and to retract the landing gear. At 15 :40: 11, the airplane veered off and hit an embankment located in the North of Runway 27 and broke up in flames. 40 people were rescued while 90 others were killed, among them five crew members.
Probable cause:
After thorough investigation, the AAIC determined that the probable causes of accident are as follows:
1. the flight crew did not follow the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of Stabilized Approach, Call Out, Go Around, and Emergency Situation as specified in the Airlines’ Flight Operation Manual (FOM).
2. the Take Off/ Go Around (TO/GA) switch was not pressed, resulting in the failure of increasing in airspeed and altitude during the go around. Also, there was no monitoring of the change in engine power and movement of throttle levers, especially during the emergency situation.
3. the flight crew coordination was insufficient and the flight crew had heavy workloads.
4. the weather condition changed suddenly over the airport vicinity.
5. the flight crew had accumulated stress, insufficient rest, and fatigue.
6. the transfer of aircraft control took place at a critical moment, during the go around.
Final Report:

Crash of a Learjet 31C near Ranong: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 21, 1997 at 1308 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9V-ATD
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Phuket - Ranong
MSN:
31-033B
YOM:
1993
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a training flight from Phuket to Ranong. While descending to Ranong Airport in poor weather conditions, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 48 km south of Ranon. Both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
For the short flight from Phuket to Ranong the crew were supposed to carry out the approach briefing before takeoff. They failed to do so, which left them little time en route to carry out the procedure and cross-checking the distance and altitude during the flight. The instructor misinterpreted the Ranong DME distance and caused the trainee pilot to descend below minimum sector altitude in unfavourable weather conditions.

Crash of a Boeing 737-2P5 off Phuket: 83 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1987 at 1536 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HS-TBC
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hat Yai - Phuket
MSN:
22267
YOM:
1980
Flight number:
TG365
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
74
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
83
Captain / Total flying hours:
19538
Captain / Total hours on type:
5576.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
5951
Copilot / Total hours on type:
156
Aircraft flight hours:
16963
Aircraft flight cycles:
20864
Circumstances:
Thai Airways Flight 365 was approaching Phuket VOR/DME on radial 119 after a flight from Hat Yai. At the same time Dragon Air Flight 203 (a Boeing 737 registered VR-HYL, carrying 62 occupants) also approached Phuket VOR/DME on radial 090. At 08:34 UTC Dragonair 203 reported at 2500 feet with Thai 365 in sight in front of them. The Thai Boeing was flying at 3000 feet at the time, and was 13 miles from Phuket VOR/DME. Dragonair 203, first priority in approach sequence, then turned right at 12 DME and was going to turn inbound for finals for runway 27. The Thai crew surmised that the other crew were making a false position report to gain landing priority and reported hurriedly that they were at 8 DME inbound and requested visual approach, though they hadn't reached 8 DME yet. This forced Phuket Approach to give Thai 365 landing priority at 08:35. The Dragonair crew (flying IFR) immediately warned that the Thai plane couldn't descend through their flight level. Concentrating on the conflicting traffic the speed decayed to 163 knots until the stick shaker activated. The Thai crew then applied power and raised the landing gear, but the aircraft entered a stall crashed into the sea, disintegrating on impact. All 83 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot slowed the aircraft and it stalled while the pilot prepared to be number one on landing as advised by Phuket approach control. It appears that he was worrying and not sure whether he could make number one landing because the pilot if number two aircraft in sequence gave warning that the number one aircraft ahead was above him and could not descend passing through his level. The pilot added power and raised the gear after stick shaker activated but didn't execute a recovery before hitting the sea.

Crash of a Boeing 737-2P5 in Phuket: 11 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1985 at 2329 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HS-TBB
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bangkok - Phuket
MSN:
21810
YOM:
1979
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Bangkok, the crew started the descent to Phuket Airport by night and good weather conditions. Four minutes after being cleared to descend to 3,000 feet, the pilot reported that he was unable to receive the DME signal. ATC asked the crew if he wanted to conduct a VOR approach to runway 09 but the captain preferred to attempt a visual approach to runway 27. On final, the aircraft struck a hill (800 feet high) and crashed about 18 km short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all 11 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Decision of the crew to continue the approach below MDA until the aircraft struck the ground.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-1-DK Dakota C.4 near Phuket

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
KJ842
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
14261/25706
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Enroute, the crew encountered engine problems and was forced to make an emergency landing. The aircraft belly landed in a field located north of Phuket and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.
Probable cause:
It appears that both engines failed in flight due to contaminated fuel.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-50-DL Dakota C.3 near Phuket

Date & Time: Oct 17, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
FL529
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
10112
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Enroute, the crew was forced to make an emergency belly landing following an engine failure. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.