Flight OG269: At Least 88 Bodies Found At Phuket Airport Crash Site

[JackieClear]

It would make me very angry if i heard that nok air who had multiple accidents 2 years ago had changed there name or that the aircraft were just resigned with the same mojo pilots.

Very Very Upsetting news this.

May the souls of the faithfully departed Rest In Peace.

[LivinginKata]

Just list to our member Simon being interviewed on BBC.

[North]

I have flown this airline into this airport before and was a bit alarmed how they rush everybody on and off the plane as they never manage to run on schedule.

When I first heard this report I thought it may be down to poor maintenance but now it looks like it was the weather to blame.

Whatever it was it has reinforced my hatred of flying (sober anyway).

R.I.P to all the dead, condolences to the loved ones.

In case of bad weather how can you possibly blame the weather ?

In that scenario it is more correct to say pilot error of judgement.

Time will probably tell, when this terrible accident is investigated.

A sad day indeed.

[soic]

Dekka look at this - from BBC UK site.

<< The flight, en route from Bangkok, was approaching Phuket airport when the pilot asked to abort the landing, aviation official Chiasak Angkauwan told Thai television.

"The control tower allowed it but the aircraft fell to the runway and the body broke," he said. >>

Pilot *ASKED* / Control tower *ALLOWED*? What? Air Trafic Service surely does not have the authority to *allow* (or deny) anything like this. The Captain *INFORMS* ATC he is going around and they acknowledge. Right or not?

Total nonsense. ATC will never deny an aircraft go-around for any reason. They simply cannot. Secondly we dont ask permission for a missed approach - we TELL atc that is what we are doing. Some of the reporting i have read on this incident in the last hour or so is totally pathetic.

An Airport authority can close an airport due weather conditions but they will NEVER EVER deny a missed approach to any airplane for any reason - they cannot. I find it somewhat hard to believe the crew asked for permission - we dont do it.

i would think the pilot has to clear any manoever with atc (to make sure no other planes are in the vicinity) before going ahead.

Not actually correct. Each runway at an airport has a published missed approach procedure which is followed in the event of a go around. These procedures are to ensure that conflicts with other departing traffic / Arriving traffic and terrain are all clear. IE you can make a missed approach not talk to anyone (ie ATC) and by following the procedure you are safe from conflict.

Can you tell me if there is an easy way to get the flight manifest? My good friend and his wife (my wife's cousin) were flying to Phuket from Bkk today.

[Tywais]

Several inappropriate/insensitive posts have been removed. Please remember that first and foremost that this is a tragedy with the loss of many lives, all with friends and relatives. Further type of comments like before will be dealt with firmly. Thank you for understanding.

[elkangorito]

Does this airline have a first world pilot in the left seat??

Most 3rd world airlines use one first world pilot!

There's always a plethora of people on TV who are more than happy to make unqualified statements about anything & everything.

[geoffphuket]

The MD80 series of aircraft have a well know design fault..... which is not a problem if the aircraft is maintained within its normal schedule. It's Unlikely to be a cause of this accident, but the knowledge of it has concerned me when flying with One-Two-Go previously.

Interesting video: http://stage6.divx.com/user/B787/video/155...Cutting-Corners

geoffphuket

[geriatrickid]

Source Reuters -18 minutes ago

PHUKET, Thailand (Reuters) - The death toll in a plane crash on the Thai resort island of Phuket on Sunday was 88, Phuket deputy governor Vorapot Rajsima said. Another 42 people on the flight, which was carrying 130 passengers and crew, were injured, he told a news conference. Initial reports had said there were 128 on board.

[simon43]

I've spoken to BBC World, BBC 24 and Japan TV over the past hour. But there really is little that I can say about this tragedy. Until I hear to the contrary, I would put this accident down the the very bad localised weather conditions.

I will certainly fly this airline again, never had any worries about them

Simon

[dekka007]

Can you tell me if there is an easy way to get the flight manifest? My good friend and his wife (my wife's cousin) were flying to Phuket from Bkk today.

I am doubtful the airline will release that information to you sorry. Contact the emergency line or the airline direct.

[Briggsy]

BBC: Both pilots survived.

TTV: Both pilots are certainly dead, one of the three flight attendants survived.

[george]

74 now dead, according to CNN.

[iang]

This is indeed a tragedy & one's condolences must go out to the families of the victims & those injured.

One thing not discussed that I can see so far, is the age of the MD-80 aircraft and other operating aircraft of One-To-Go?

I'm no aircraft expert, but much of their equipment looks pretty old to me & I wonder if the age of the aircraft (and thus aging systems) contributed in any way?

The aparant age of their aircraft is the reason that I've always avoided using them & have preferred to pay the substantially higher prices of TG - the saving never seemed worth the risk!

[george]

Flight OJ269: 74 dead: Phuket airport closed as death toll rises

PHUKET, Sept 16 (TNA) – Services at Phuket International Airport were suspended while airport workers and emergency personnel cleared the runway of wreckage in the aftermath of the horrendous crash of a budget passenger airliner Sunday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the unofficial death toll rose to 74, with 43 persons injured, and mainly hospitalised.

Before leaving Bangkok for Phuket together with many senior officials of the ministry, Thailand's Deputy Minister of Transport Sansern Wongcha-um on Sunday evening said that the airport in the southern province is expected to resume operations on Monday morning, at 6 am.

About 1,000 passengers could not travel after four flights were cancelled: three Bangkok-bound and the fourth for Hong Kong

The passenger jet operated by Thai budget carrier One-Two-Go skidded off a runway at Phuket International Airport during a landing attempt amid heavy rain and strong crosswinds. The aircraft – identified as an MD 82 model – broke into two sections before bursting into flame in both wings and the rear section of the broken aircraft, according to acting Airports of Thailand (AoT) director Kalya Pakakrong.

The plane's passenger list included 123 persons plus seven crew members, many of whom are feared dead.

The cause of the fatal incident is now being investigated, according to Transport Minister Admiral Thira Haocharoen. (TNA) – E002

--TNA 2007-09-16

[stevenjm]

74 now dead, according to CNN.

from news.com.au

September 16, 2007 11:45pm

Article from: AAP

l

CONSULAR officials are still trying to determine how many Australians were aboard a budget airliner which crashed and burst into flames at the Thai resort of Phuket, killing at least 66 people.

Forty more were missing after the One-Two-Go flight from Bangkok went down in driving rain today. Around half of the 123 people on board were foreigners.

Two of the 29 known survivors were reportedly Australian and were being treated in a Phuket hospital.

A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the Australian embassy in Bangkok and the honorary consulate in Phuket were urgently trying to confirm how many Australians were in the crash.

“The Australian honorary consul in Phuket is on hand at the airport to provide any assistance to affected Australians and a consular official from Bangkok is travelling to Phuket,” the spokesman said.

“The embassy is contacting hospitals in the Phuket area.”

Any member of the public concerned about family members or friends believed to have been on board are advised to first attempt to contact that person directly.

Anyone who has serious concerns should contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on 1300 555 135.

[joskydive]

Dekka look at this - from BBC UK site.

<< The flight, en route from Bangkok, was approaching Phuket airport when the pilot asked to abort the landing, aviation official Chiasak Angkauwan told Thai television.

"The control tower allowed it but the aircraft fell to the runway and the body broke," he said. >>

Pilot *ASKED* / Control tower *ALLOWED*? What? Air Trafic Service surely does not have the authority to *allow* (or deny) anything like this. The Captain *INFORMS* ATC he is going around and they acknowledge. Right or not?

Total nonsense. ATC will never deny an aircraft go-around for any reason. They simply cannot. Secondly we dont ask permission for a missed approach - we TELL atc that is what we are doing. Some of the reporting i have read on this incident in the last hour or so is totally pathetic.

An Airport authority can close an airport due weather conditions but they will NEVER EVER deny a missed approach to any airplane for any reason - they cannot. I find it somewhat hard to believe the crew asked for permission - we dont do it.

i would think the pilot has to clear any manoever with atc (to make sure no other planes are in the vicinity) before going ahead.

Not actually correct. Each runway at an airport has a published missed approach procedure which is followed in the event of a go around. These procedures are to ensure that conflicts with other departing traffic / Arriving traffic and terrain are all clear. IE you can make a missed approach not talk to anyone (ie ATC) and by following the procedure you are safe from conflict.

Can you tell me if there is an easy way to get the flight manifest? My good friend and his wife (my wife's cousin) were flying to Phuket from Bkk today.

Anyone who has serious concerns should contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on 1300 555 135.

[chiang mai]

I have flown this airline into this airport before and was a bit alarmed how they rush everybody on and off the plane as they never manage to run on schedule.

When I first heard this report I thought it may be down to poor maintenance but now it looks like it was the weather to blame.

Whatever it was it has reinforced my hatred of flying (sober anyway).

R.I.P to all the dead, condolences to the loved ones.

In case of bad weather how can you possibly blame the weather ?

In that scenario it is more correct to say pilot error of judgement.

Time will probably tell, when this terrible accident is investigated.

A sad day indeed.

Given the speed and intensity of the squalls that hit Phuket, without warning there is an element of bad luck in this I suspect. As stated earlier by self and one other poster who lives near the airport there was a very sudden squall that came up without warning and was very intense. If you are a pilot on final approach and you get hit by that sort of weather a few feet off the ground I suspect it would test the mettle of even the most seasoned pilot. Remember, this is an island, in the tropics and it is the monsoon season. Having said those things, I have confidence in Thai pilots to fly with them within Thailand, as I do frequently.

[stevenjm]

Dekka look at this - from BBC UK site.

<< The flight, en route from Bangkok, was approaching Phuket airport when the pilot asked to abort the landing, aviation official Chiasak Angkauwan told Thai television.

"The control tower allowed it but the aircraft fell to the runway and the body broke," he said. >>

Pilot *ASKED* / Control tower *ALLOWED*? What? Air Trafic Service surely does not have the authority to *allow* (or deny) anything like this. The Captain *INFORMS* ATC he is going around and they acknowledge. Right or not?

Total nonsense. ATC will never deny an aircraft go-around for any reason. They simply cannot. Secondly we dont ask permission for a missed approach - we TELL atc that is what we are doing. Some of the reporting i have read on this incident in the last hour or so is totally pathetic.

An Airport authority can close an airport due weather conditions but they will NEVER EVER deny a missed approach to any airplane for any reason - they cannot. I find it somewhat hard to believe the crew asked for permission - we dont do it.

i would think the pilot has to clear any manoever with atc (to make sure no other planes are in the vicinity) before going ahead.

Not actually correct. Each runway at an airport has a published missed approach procedure which is followed in the event of a go around. These procedures are to ensure that conflicts with other departing traffic / Arriving traffic and terrain are all clear. IE you can make a missed approach not talk to anyone (ie ATC) and by following the procedure you are safe from conflict.

Can you tell me if there is an easy way to get the flight manifest? My good friend and his wife (my wife's cousin) were flying to Phuket from Bkk today.

Anyone who has serious concerns should contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on 1300 555 135.

Actually that numbers for australians only.

[justanother]

Several inappropriate/insensitive posts have been removed. Please remember that first and foremost that this is a tragedy with the loss of many lives, all with friends and relatives. Further type of comments like before will be dealt with firmly. Thank you for understanding.

THANK YOU....

Sure, this is a news-thread...but has it to be "the more blood, the bigger the audience"??????

Wont ever understand why some of you guys here use this thread as a discussion for your better or worse experiences;

It was a planecrash and the investigation of the FAA will show the results/reasons.....

What does it matter, how many thai, british, indonesian etc.... as far as i remember we have all the same DNA...so just leave it with your condolences...

Sad enough that there were any injuries at all.....No money can repair what is lost....lives.

black day not only for the victims, common most foreign minds transpose things like this tragedy to all which is related to Thailand....

hawe

[Jingjok]

Dekka look at this - from BBC UK site.

<< The flight, en route from Bangkok, was approaching Phuket airport when the pilot asked to abort the landing, aviation official Chiasak Angkauwan told Thai television.

"The control tower allowed it but the aircraft fell to the runway and the body broke," he said. >>

Pilot *ASKED* / Control tower *ALLOWED*? What? Air Trafic Service surely does not have the authority to *allow* (or deny) anything like this. The Captain *INFORMS* ATC he is going around and they acknowledge. Right or not?

Total nonsense. ATC will never deny an aircraft go-around for any reason. They simply cannot. Secondly we dont ask permission for a missed approach - we TELL atc that is what we are doing. Some of the reporting i have read on this incident in the last hour or so is totally pathetic.

An Airport authority can close an airport due weather conditions but they will NEVER EVER deny a missed approach to any airplane for any reason - they cannot. I find it somewhat hard to believe the crew asked for permission - we dont do it.

i would think the pilot has to clear any manoever with atc (to make sure no other planes are in the vicinity) before going ahead.

Not actually correct. Each runway at an airport has a published missed approach procedure which is followed in the event of a go around. These procedures are to ensure that conflicts with other departing traffic / Arriving traffic and terrain are all clear. IE you can make a missed approach not talk to anyone (ie ATC) and by following the procedure you are safe from conflict.

I concur with dekka. I was once a pilot myself (light aircraft) & at no time will any atc disallow a go-around.

I have been in a similar situation in a PA-28 - a storm chased me & actually had caught up with me by the time I was on finals. The airspace & aerodrome were uncontrolled. The visual on the windsock (an 18 knot windsock) showed full & perfectly horizontal, perpendicular to the runway (only had one runway). The crosswind component of the aircraft was about 18 knots & I guessed that the actual crosswind was 20-30 knots, gusting. I had no choice but to put the aircraft down.

I landed on the grass after the worst (or was it the best?) sideslip landing ever. Sweating like a pig with heart jumping out of my chest, I walked away.

I would've hated to be in the situation of the Phuket pilot...everything happens in split seconds when you are in command of an aircraft. It's worse in a high speed aircraft.

ATC have no authority to disallow anything. The Commander of the a/c has all the power. I wonder where Khun Chaisak got his information from. If he was told this by ATC, it's interesting. The Cockpit Voice Recorder will elucidate. I sincerely hope the Captain, who was no dount under huge stress, did not waste time sending a 'Request go-around' and waiting for a response...

[ozymandious]

Dekka or other person with fly experience

What is standard take of and landing practice? You take off and land into the wind right?

Based on the description of the crash site by TV member Simon and photos available via the net and TV it seems that this plane came down fast, hard and thrown to the side quickly.

Eastern end of Airport, North embankment is the crash site

The monsoon winds come in from the West /SouthWest this time of year so it appears it didn't make it down the runway very far before crashing.

I was further south on the island (Surin Beach) and the weather was going crazy down there at the time.

I've come in from Singapore to HKT before in high season when the winds are reversed and we make our approach from west to east and the pilot aborted the landing. Pretty unnerving. We were about 100-50 meters over the runway and I'm looking out the window thinking we're too high and I can see the terminal well below us, and then the engines roar and we make a steep accelerated ascent. The pilot makes a long arcing bank to the right and about 5 min later he comes on over the com and says "as you might of noticed we've aborted our landing. There was too much tail wind and we were going to over shot the runway"

It never felt so good to be on the ground after that. (SilkAir flight about 2 yrs ago)

Edited September 16, 2007 by ozymandious

[Jingjok]

Several inappropriate/insensitive posts have been removed. Please remember that first and foremost that this is a tragedy with the loss of many lives, all with friends and relatives. Further type of comments like before will be dealt with firmly. Thank you for understanding.

THANK YOU....

... It was a planecrash and the investigation of the FAA will show the results/reasons..... ...

Err.. does the FAA have jusistiction in Thailand?

[jomtienbob]

The hospitals have detailed the nationalities from the crash as: Australian: 1, Austrian: 1, British: 8, Dutch:1, German: 4, Iranian: 3, Irish: 3, Italian: 1, Swedish: 2, Thai: 14.

Total = 38 therefore 86 people have no need of treatment. Let's hope many walked away.

[taxexile]

a question for the pilots who are reading this thread.

Given the speed and intensity of the squalls that hit Phuket, without warning

is there equipment available ( radar ??) that can monitor the intensity , position and path of squalls and predict the likelihood of wind shear gusts ?

[dekka007]

What is standard take of and landing practice? You take off and land into the wind right?

In the perfect world we would always land into wind and take off into wind. However obviously this is not always possible. We can indeed land with a Tailwind component upto a certain amount depending on aircraft limits / pilot limits and Weight limits.

To give u an example the A300 airbus is certified Tailwind upto 15kts for takeoff and 10kts for landing. This is of course subject to performance limitations. If for example you are making an approach at 8kts tailwind any increase above 10kts would result in a go around.

Crosswind limits are a tad more generous with the A300 off the top my head around 32kts.

Edited September 16, 2007 by dekka007

[MarcoH]

87 DEAD REPORT CNN JUST NOW,, SEEM SOT BE CLIMING,,,not very good news

[asd]

One-Two-GO Airlines is a low-cost airline based in Bangkok, Thailand. It is the domestic subsidiary of Orient Thai Airlines. Its main base is Don Mueang International Airport, Bangkok.

A Phuket bound plane crashed at phuket international airport after flying from Bangkok on a budget flight on the 16 september. 70% of the passengers are belived to be dead. The aircraft came down in heavy rain. The Aircraft is believed to be an MD 82 aircraft.

A One-Two-GO Airlines MD-82, Flight OG 269 flying from Bangkok with 123 passengers and 5 crew members crashed after heavy storms after attempting to land on a runway at Phuket International Airport. The aircraft split in three.

McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series

The MD-80 series is a mid-size, medium-range airliner that was introduced in 1980. The design was second generation of the DC-9 with two rear fuselage-mounted turbofan engines, small, highly efficient wings, and a T-tail. The aircraft has a distinctive 5-abreast seating in coach class. It was a lengthened DC-9-50 with a higher maximum take-off weight (MTOW) and the ability to carry more fuel. The airplane series was designed for frequent, short-haul flights for 130 to 172 passengers depending on plane version and seating arrangement.

The development of MD-80 series began in the 1970s as a growth version of the DC-90 Series 50. Availability of new Pratt & Whitney JT8D higher bypass engines drove early studies including designs known as Series 55, Series 50 (Re-fanned Super Stretch), and Series 60. The design effort focused on the Series 55 in August 1977. With the projected entry into service in 1980, the design was marketed as the "DC-9 Series 80". Swissair launched the Series 80 in October 1977 with an order for 15 plus an option for five.

The Series 80 featured a fuselage 14 feet 3 in ( m) longer than the DC-9-50. The DC-9 wings were redesigned by adding sections at the wing root and tip for a 28% larger wing. The initital Series 80 first flew October 19, 1979.

It entered service in 1980. Originally it was certified as a version of the DC-9, but was changed to MD-80 in July 1983, as a marketing move. New versions of the series were initially the MD-81/82/83 and the shortened MD-87, even though their formal certification was DC-9-81/82 etc. Only the MD-88 was given an "MD" certification, as was later the MD-90.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_MD-80

All the best,

Thaivisa forum

[dekka007]

is there equipment available ( radar ??) that can monitor the intensity , position and path of squalls and predict the likelihood of wind shear gusts ?

We have weather radar that basically reflects off water droplets that shows a graphic display of Thunderstorms in the area at numerous ranges. It is a limited system and does not predict or show windshear areas although very effective for showing cells.

However we are trained that storms of high intensity we should expect severe windshear in that area and best avoided or delay the approach.

More modern aircraft have more sophisticated windshear detections systems that look at the gradient change in wind velocities over altitude and numerous other things to give a amber or red warning windshear.

I would imagine this aircraft would have the basic GPWS system of windshear detection although limited it is another aid that can help.

Believe it or not the most effective system for windshear avoidance is prior reports from preceeding aircraft which we use a lot!

Edited September 16, 2007 by dekka007

[elkangorito]

Dekka or other person with fly experience

Eastern end of Airport, North embankment is the crash site

The monsoon winds come in from the West /SouthWest this time of year so it appears it didn't make it down the runway very far before crashing.

A very localised low pressure cell (a storm) can move very quickly across the land. Since these cells are cyclonic in nature, the wind direction can change 180 degrees in a matter of minutes.

[A_Traveller]

Err.. does the FAA have jusistiction in Thailand?

First may I express my condolences to those bereaved by this accident. To answer the above the NTSB may be asked to assist, since the airframe is of US manufacture but they have no direct responsibility. The object of such involvement is to ensure that critical data is fed back to the manufacturer for the safety of all passengers flying the aircraft type involved in the accident.

Regards

/edit add type//

Edited September 16, 2007 by A_Traveller