THAI AIR ACCIDENTS (to 1959)

 

 

Below are listed brief details of known accidents to Thai aircraft, civil and military, and to other aircraft where the accident was within Thailand. The bulk of the data is from Thai DoA records, from Royal Thai Air Force sources and from press reports. Credit is also due to various Air Britain publications, Sid Nanson, Vidya Tapasanan, Marco Dijkshoorn (Scramble), Ed Young’s “Aerial Nationalism – A History of Aviation in Thailand” (Smithsonian 1995), NTSB website and others.  For Vietnam era US military accidents, Chris Hobson’s “Vietnam Air Losses” is a valuable source of more detailed information.

 

 

Date

Type

 

Operator

Serial

Location & Details

22-Dec-29

Boripatra

Siamese AF

 

Crashed at Khao Polad, near Burmese border, en route Delhi

07-Dec-31

Fokker F.VIIb

KLM

PH-AFO

Crashed on take-off from Don Muang; 5 killed

22-Jun-33

Puss Moth

Aerial Transport Co

HS-PAA

Crashed after flying into storm at Kumphawapi, en route from Khon Kaen to Udon

07-Feb-38

Martin 139WSM

Siamese AF

 

Seriously damaged in landing accident

18-Mar-38

Curtiss Hawk (II or III)

Siamese AF

 

Crashed at Don Muang whilst practising for air show

22-Mar-39

Curtis Hawk 75N

Siamese AF

 

Crashed when lost control during high-speed test dive

09-Dec-40

Vought Corsair

Thai AF

 

Possibly shot down

10-Dec-40

Vought Corsair

Thai AF

 

Shot down

12-Dec-40

Curtiss Hawk III

Thai AF

 

Shot down

13-Dec-40

Curtis Hawk 75N

Thai AF

 

Destroyed on the ground at Ubon during French bombing raid

14-Dec-40

Curtis Hawk 75N & Hawk III

Thai AF

 

Collided on take off from Ubon

10-Jan-41

Mitsubishi Ki-30

Thai AF

 

Shot down by French near Siem Reap

08-Dec-41

6 x Curtiss Hawk III

Thai AF

 

Shot down

24-Mar-42

Curtiss P-40

AVG

P8115

Shot down by ground fire near Chiang Mai; wreck currently in ‘Tango Squadron’ hangar at Chiang Mai

late 1942

Mitsubishi Ki-21

Thai AF

 

Crashed into mountain during severe weather whilst returning from a reconnaissance mission over Kengtung

02-Feb-43

7 x Vought Corsair

Thai AF

 

Destroyed on ground at Kengtung by USAAF P-40’s

02-Mar-43

Mitsubishi Ki-21

Thai AF

 

Destroyed on ground at Kengtung

08-Apr-44

Curtiss Hawk III

Thai AF

 

Shot down by RAF Beaufighter near Chiang Mai

06-Oct-44

Liberator B.VI

RAF

BZ978 & BZ992

MIA during an attack on the Bangkok to Chiang Mai railway

11-Nov-44

3 x Nakajima Ki-27

Thai AF

 

Shot down by USAAF P-51’s near Chiang Mai

27-Nov-44

Nakajima Ki-43

Thai AF

 

Shot down by B-29 over Petchburi

09-Apr-45

5 x Curtiss Hawk II

Thai AF

 

Destroyed on ground at Don Muang by USAAF P-51’s

09-Apr-45

Mitsubishi Ki-30

Thai AF

 

Destroyed on ground at Don Muang by USAAF P-51’s

     Mar-45

Fairchild 24

Thai AF

 

Shot down by USAAF P-51

24/25-Jul-45

Nakajima E8N1

Thai Navy

 

Destroyed on ground at Chalong Bay, Phuket by RN Hellcats

24/25-Jul-45

Aichi E13A-1

Thai Navy

 

Destroyed on ground at Chalong Bay, Phuket by RN Hellcats

16-Dec-45

Liberator GR.VIII

RAF

KH134

Crashed into sea off Thai Muang during air/sea rescue operation

09-Aug-48

Bonanza

Siamese AW

HS-SFE ?

Came down near Ayudhya in a violent storm en route from Tak to Bangkok. The pilot, Flight Commander Phichet Chavankasame, and a lawyer, Thanom Suwanaphim, were killed, whilst a third passenger was injured.

25-Oct-48

Douglas C-47

Pacific Overseas AL

HS-PC103

Believed shot down by Dutch pilots near west coast of Sumatra

14-Dec-48

Fairchild 24

Siamese AW

 

Force-landed on test flight

09-Jul-49

Catalina

Pacific Overseas AL

HS-PC205

Damaged at Macao

17-Nov-49

Douglas C-47

Trans Asiatic AL

HS-TA180

Crashed at Mingaladon, Burma

07-Jun-50

Westland WS-51A

Thai AF

G-AMAK

W/o at Yeovil before dd

18-Aug-50

North American T-6

Thai AF

 

Crashed at Koke Kathiem, Lopburi; 2 killed

21-Aug-50

"training plane"

Thai AF

 

Caught fire in mid-air and crashed at Nakhon Ratchasima; 1 killed, 1 serious injury

27-Oct-50

Bonanza

Siamese AW

HS-SFA

Crashed at Maesan

early 1951

Norseman

Siamese AW

HS-SGF

Crashed in Tak Province

13-Jan-51

Douglas C-47

Air Carriers

VR-HEP

Crashed on Bukit Besar mountain

11-Mar-51

Douglas C-54

Pacific Overseas AL

HS-POS

Crashed into the saddle between Mount Butler and Mount Parker on take-off from Kai Tak 11-Mar-51

09-Apr-51

Douglas C-47

Siamese AW

HS-SAE

Ditched off Cape d'Aquilar, Hong Kong; 16 killed

08-Jun-51

Spitfire 14

Thai AF

Kh14-3/93

Crashed

13-Jul-51

Douglas C-54

Pacific Overseas AL

HS-POA

Dbr on landing at Bangkok

20-Aug-51

Douglas C-47

Siamese AW

HS-SAF

Crashed at Bor Fai airfield, Hua Hin (note: fuselage still at Hua Hin 1996)

03-Sep-51

North American T-6

Thai AF

 

Crashed into Meh Klong river in front of Army Hospital, Rajburi province; 2 killed

06-Sep-51

North American T-6

Thai AF

 

Nose dived into paddy field near Nakhon Sawan Ratchasima Military Hospital; 1 killed

Feb-52

Chipmunk

Thai AF

F9-23/95

W/o in accident

13-Feb-52

??

Thai AF

 

Aircraft crashed near Bang Pa-In railway station at 1000; 1 killed

19-Feb-52

??

Thai AF

 

Aircraft crashed at 1145 during training flight at Nakorn Ratchasima; 2 crew (Pilot Officer Sanit Sukrakan & Air Cadet Virasak Vathmaphimon)

23-Mar-52

Lockheed L-749A

KLM

PH-TFF

Dbr at Bangkok

22-Jul-52

Spitfire 14

Thai AF

Kh14-11/93, Kh14-21/93 & Kh14-22/93

Crashed

Aug-52

Chipmunk

Thai AF

F9-31/95

W/o in forced landing

08-Aug-52

Bearcat + Bearcat

Thai AF

 

Collided at 1000 whilst in a formation of 8 at Pak Kred, Nonthaburi province; 2 killed (Flying Officer Kumnuan Rong-Krachang & Warrant Officer Vira Rodkachand). Thai AF’s first mid-air collision.

26-Jan-53

Spitfire 14

Thai AF

Kh18-3/93

Crashed

13-Feb-53

Mosquito PR.34

RAF – 81 Sqdn

RG189

Took off from Don Muang and headed southwest, but returned 20 mins later on fire, flew erratically before diving into the ground and exploding in Bang Khaen, southwest of Don Muang; 2 killed (F/O Paul Skeaping RAF & F/O John Williamson)

10-Apr-53

Bearcat

Thai AF

 

Crashed into sea off Chonburi; 1 killed

20-???-53

Norseman

Thai AW

HS-SGA

Damaged in forced landing; probably repaired

20-Jul-53

‘training plane’

Thai AF

 

Crashed onto buildings in Amphur Madhachai, Samut Sakorn province; 2 killed

08-Aug-53

Norseman

Thai AW

HS-SGB

Crashed in poor weather at Doi Mae Ya, Tambol Mae Jee, 26km from Amphur Pai en route Mae Sarieng-Khun Yuam; wreckage not found until 25-Aug-53; 6 killed, including Flt. Lt. Sorot Chombhuthaveep

10-Sep-53

Bearcat

Thai AF

 

Force-landed at airfield in Mahachai district, Samut Sakorn province after fire in fuel tank; pilot slightly injured

04-Oct-53

North American T-6

Thai AF

 

Collided with truck on take-off from Chiang Mai; pilot escaped

05-Oct-53

‘trainer’

Thai AF

 

Caught fire & crashed whilst over Chaiyabhum municipality; 1 killed. Korat-based

12-Oct-53

Bearcat

Thai AF

 

Crashed into house, and then a Wat, in Amphur Muang, Ratchaburi on training flight from Don Muang; pilot killed, plus 1 (a Thai assemblyman) on the ground

Nov-53

Chipmunk

Thai AF

F9-21/95

W/o in accident

27-Jan-54

Bearcat

Thai AF

 

Crashed into forest near Phitsanulok airfield; pilot killed

27-Jan-54

Spitfire 14

Thai AF

Kh14-23/93

Crashed

28-Jan-54

Bearcat

Thai AF

 

Crashed on a hill in Buriram en route from Ubol Ratchathani to Nakhon Ratchasima; pilot killed

8-Feb-54

??

Thai AW

 

Port tyre burst whilst taking off from Surat Thani for return flight to Bangkok, and crashed into bushes; no injuries

Feb-54

Chipmunk

Thai AF

F9-28/95

W/o in accident

Feb-54

Chipmunk

Thai AF

F9-19/94

W/o in accident

09-Mar-54

Bearcat

Thai AF

 

Crashed in Aranyaprates; pilot killed

04-Apr-54

‘helicopter’ (UH-12B ?)

Thai Police

 

Crashed in bad weather at Sub Amphur Mae Samerng, Chiang Mai, en route Chiang Mai – Mae Hong Sorn. Reported missing 6-Jun

Jul-54

Helldiver

Thai AF

 

Crashed (soc 23-Jul-54)

22-Jul-54

Bearcat & Bearcat

Thai AF

“312” & “322”

Collided in mid-air during aerobatics over Don Muang. Both crashed, “322” 6km from Don Muang; 1 killed, 1 bailed out

Sep-54

Chipmunk

Thai AF

F9-42/95

W/o in accident

Sep-54

Chipmunk

Thai AF

F9-44/95

W/o in accident

18-Sep-54

‘patrol plane’

Thai AF

“025”

Force landed at Chaiyabhum following engine trouble en route Udon Thani to Lopburi; probably repaired

Oct-54

Chipmunk

Thai AF

F9-38/95

W/o in accident

11-Oct-54

Douglas C-47

Thai AF

L2-10/96 ?

Starboard engine failed shortly after take-off from Don Muang, and crashed into paddy field 500m from runway whilst after attempting to return for emergency landing; 4 killed, 14 injured

20-Oct-54

Douglas C-47

Air America

B-811

Crashed into sea 600m off Hua Hin after engine failure; 6 killed, 1 injured

16-Jan-55

Bonanza

Thai AW

HS-SFB

Force-landed on sandbank in Prakday (?), Cambodia due to fuel shortage en route Bangkok to Phnom Penh with Andre Kostelanetz (US conductor) as passenger;  Kostelanetz continued by bus; 15 minutes of fuel delivered by jeep & Bonanza took off again, only to be substantially damaged in another forced-landing in a rice-field at Gavin, nearer Phnom Penh; substantially damaged, but repaired

11-Feb-55

‘training plane’

Thai AF

 

Crashed at Amphur Ban Rai, Uthai Thani; pilot (based at Lopburi) seriously injured

16-Feb-55

Norseman

Thai AW

HS-SGC

After leaving Loei en route Phitsanulok the pilot diverted to an airfield in Burma to collect a load of opium; damaged on take-off whilst overloaded, and set alight by pilot to destroy evidence

09-Mar-55

‘single-engined reconnaissance plane’

 

 

Hit top of tree and crashed in Mae Sai, Chiang Mai whilst participating in Army manoeuvres; 2 killed

13-May-55

Douglas C-47

Burmese AF

 

Crashed into Doi Pa Hom Pok, 25km north west of Amphur Fang, Chiang Mai; wreck found 29-May-55; 7 killed

Jun-55

Chipmunk

Thai AF

F9-7/93

W/o in accident

29-Aug-55

Bearcat

Thai AF

 

Force-landed in rice-field 150m from Don Muang runway following engine failure; 1 slightly injured

09-Sep-55

‘liaison a/c’

US Army