Blackhawk Helicopter Sent To Retrieve Five Men Killed In Helicopter Crash In Phetchaburi

[featography]

There were three helicopters, those from the Agricultural Ministry & Environment Ministry turned back when the weather got worse. Not unknown for military pilots to take risks that civilian pilots do not. Seem to recall that Korean Airways stopped employing ex-military jocks for that very reason. Doesn't help either when you have others further up the chain of command than the pilot aboard as well as was the case here, another factor that can cause wrong decisions. It was believed to be such a scenario that led to the crash of the Polish flight in Russia, once again in bad weather, that was carrying most of the Polish cabinet.

To add support to your comments, some years ago I interviewed for a civilian helicopter training school. The first question asked of me was,

"did you fly in Nam?" My answer was no, I have no flying experience to date. They informed me that was a good thing for me, and that prospective employers will not hire Helo pilots from the military for the same reasons you mentioned.

[webfact]

Nine feared lost in second helicopter crash

By Anan Kongcharoen,

Kampanart Kantrakul

The Nation

Phetchaburi

Contact was lost yesterday with an Army Black Hawk helicopter flying sorties as it prepared to evacuate the bodies of five Army personnel killed in the crash of another chopper on July 11 near the Thai-Burma border. The Black Hawk that disappeared yesterday had nine, including VIP passengers, on board.

In addition to four crew members, the five passengers were the commander of the elite 9th Infantry Division, Maj-General Tawan Ruengsri, the chief of the evacuation operation, and Channel 5 cameraman Sornchai Khongtannukool, along with two captains.

Speaking to the media late last night, the commander of the First Army Area, Lt-General Udomdej Sritabutr, said the incident was very likely a crash, possibly a direct hit on the ground or into a hillside as a result of poor visibility due to bad weather.

First Army Area spokesman Colonel Thammanoon Withee came up later with possible good news, saying that Thai search parties had met up with Burmese soldiers who gave vague and unconfirmed details about "the Black Hawk possibly not crashing, but making an emergency landing somewhere". No further details were available at press time last night.

Udomdej grounded all helicopter flights, and ordered ground search parties to approach the probable site of the crash on foot. They could spend up to five days to reach map grid NQ243118, near Mai Daeng Mountain in Phetchaburi's Kaeng Krachan district, where the Black Hawk lost radio contact.

He confirmed the loud bang, which he said sounded like the Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawk hitting the ground or a hillside, "similar to the sound heard in the UH-1H helicopter crash" last week. He dismissed a theory about the loud bang being hostile ground fire.

"As long as we have not seen the bodies [of all nine people on board the Black Hawk], I still have hopes of some of them surviving, and am saying prayers that some of them make it," he said.

Speaking before taking the second flight yesterday morning, Tawan vowed to bring home all five bodies, as he had promised personally to their relatives.

He recounted a similar horror his unit faced several years ago, when the commander, along with members of his staff, were all killed in a helicopter crash, also along Thai-Burmese border.

Speaking in an interview before piloting the flight, first pilot Major Praphan Jiamsoongnern said Tawan had carefully planned the evacuation, by using two smaller helicopters to fly through breaks in the clouds to get to Ton Nam Phet base where the bodies are.

The other plan was to have the Black Hawk hover over the Tanao Sri mountain range above the fog, then go directly to the base when the sky was clearer. A cloud-seeding operation was also prepared to draw away fog and clouds over the area, Praphan said, but it had not been used by the time the Black Hawk disappeared.

The three other crewmembers are second pilot Major Choophan Phollawan and mechanics Sgt-Major Somkhid Wongtasaeng and Sergeant Aram Phongsing. The other three passengers are Captains Jes Sukjai and Jakkraphan Bamrungphuet and Sergeant Itthisak Hinasut.

-- The Nation 2011-07-20

[webfact]

On foot search/rescue team begins trek to site of Black Hawk helicopter wreckage; expected to take five days from Panoenthung mountain, Phetchaburi /MCOT

[webfact]

a disrespectful post and its correct reply to it deleted

a warning to the poster - show some respect to the deceased or I will impose a suspension if such post is repeated.

/Admin

[webfact]

Second Thai chopper feared crashed on rescue mission

BANGKOK, July 20, 2011 (AFP) - Thai rescuers were hunting Wednesday for an army helicopter with nine people aboard that went missing during a mission to retrieve five bodies from a previous crash, a military spokesman said.

The Black Hawk chopper disappeared on Tuesday in an area of dense jungle on the Thai-Myanmar border after it was dispatched to recover the bodies of soldiers killed in a helicopter accident on Saturday.

"So far there is no contact from the lost aircraft or passengers," army spokesman Colonel Sunsern Kaewkumnerd told AFP, adding that the search operation involved several teams working on foot.

Outgoing Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told reporters that the two incidents "have had a great impact on army morale and from now on they must be very careful".

But Sunsern insisted the army's Black Hawks were in good condition and the pilots skilful.

"We have to investigate the real cause but the preliminary assumption is severe turbulence," he later told a news conference of the latest incident.

He said Thai and Myanmar authorities were co-operating in the search for the missing aircraft.

Soldiers in neighbouring Myanmar reported hearing a loud noise near the area, but were unable to locate a crash scene, according to Siriyon Phothibandit, a Thai official at the Kaeng Krachan national park near the border.

"If it crashed we have high hopes some would have survived," he added.

Among the nine people on board the Black Hawk were Major General Tawan Ruengsri, commander of a border task force, and a television cameraman from army-run Channel 5.

In Saturday's crash, the Huey helicopter went down in bad weather during a mission to airlift troops from the remote jungle area southwest of Bangkok.

The five victims' bodies were recovered from the site on Wednesday afternoon, an army official said.

The helicopter that crashed at the weekend had been sent to collect about 35 soldiers who had been on patrol in the park as part of measures to combat deforestation.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-07-20

[Dag]

They informed me that was a good thing for me, and that prospective employers will not hire Helo pilots from the military for the same reasons you mentioned.

Depends entirely on the job at hand and what the particular company does.

[webfact]

Blackhawk Found 1 KM into Burmese Border

Reports from Thai media indicate that the missing Blackhawk helicopter has been found one kilometer into Burmese territory. The Region 1 Army has contacted its Burmese counterpart and is asking for assistance in retrieve the remains of the helicopter. However, there are no reports that the soldiers and cameraman who were aboard have been found.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-20

[webfact]

15 teams of officials dispatched to search for ill-fated Black Hawk

Fifteen teams of officials have been dispatched to search for the Black Hawk helicopter which went missing Tuesday, Defence Ministry Spokesman Col Thanatip Sawangsaeng said Wednesday.

The Black Hawk helicopter was believed to have crashed because of turbulence when it was heading to rescue another helicopter crashed at the Kaeng Krachan Park in Phetchaburi.

Thanatip said each team is comprised of troops, border patrol police and forestry officials.

-- The Nation 2011-07-20

[webfact]

BLACK HAWK DOWN

Relatives of missing soldiers are praying for a miracle

By THE NATION

Relatives of soldiers who have not been seen since an Army Black Hawk took off on Tuesday are now praying for a miracle.

"I know there will be a miracle," Supitcha Jiamsoong-nern, 35, said yesterday. Her husband of 15 years, Lt-Colonel Praphan Jiamsoong-nern, was piloting the Black Hawk helicopter, which had nine people on board and is believed to have crashed on Burmese soil, about a kilometre from the border.

"I hope that with his experience, he will be able to help everyone on board come home safely," Supitcha said. "I have been praying for a miracle, and I know it will happen because I have faith."

The helicopter was on a mission to Phetchaburi to collect the bodies of five troops killed in another helicopter crash on Saturday. Officials believe the accidents were possibly caused by turbulence.

"I am still full of hope," Malinee Plodpleuang, 31, said, adding that she was praying for the safety of everybody on board. Her husband, Captain Jate Sujai, was on the Black Hawk.

"They were on their way to a good mission. I believe they will be rewarded with safety," Malinee said, adding that she would not give up hope. Malinee fervently believes that the passengers and pilots must be waiting for the search-and-rescue team to show up.

Meanwhile, the Army has sent out many teams to try to locate the missing Black Hawk and those on board.

Boontham Chuchart, a former village head in Phetchaburi, said |he was asked to mobilise a team |of ethnic Karen Thais to help find |the missing helicopter and the |people. "I have managed to recruit more than 20 ethnic Karen Thais |for the purpose. We are divided |into three teams," he explained.

An informed source said the helicopter crashed near a Burmese military base and the Army was waiting to hear from Burma as to whether there were any casualties.

"The Army has asked Burma for permission to bring back the people on the missing helicopter, be they alive or dead," the source said.

Meanwhile, the bodies of the five soldiers killed in Saturday's crash were retrieved yesterday.

The bodies were airlifted from a

hill in vast forestland and brought back to the Kaeng Krachan Special Warfare Unit in Phetchaburi, where the victims were identified.

Their bodies were later taken to a hospital in Kanchanaburi.

The bathing rituals for bodies will take place at 5am today at the Wat Thun Ladya Temple. Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha will preside over the rites.

Army spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the families of the killed soldiers would be compensated because they died while on duty.

-- The Nation 2011-07-21

[webfact]

Myanmar army locates Black Hawk crash location

PHETCHABURI, July 21 – Myanmar soldiers on Thursday reportedly identified the site of Tuesday's Thai army Black Hawk helicopter crash.

An earlier dispatched team of 20 Thai soldiers is making its way to the crash site across a heavily-forested terrain on foot, Army Region 1 commander Lt-Gen Udomdej Sitabutr said, but another team of 18 Thai soldiers will board a helicopter of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to land closer to the crash site.

In case of poor weather, the military will ask to the Royal Irrigation Department to use rainmaking chemicals to clear the skies to allow a helicopter to fly more safely.

Meanwhile, Army chief Prayuth Chan-och said the search for the Black Hawk wreckage continued with cooperation from the Myanmar authorities. Rescue workers are now moving into Myanmar’s dense forest two and three kilometres from the Thai-Myanmar border. He has instructed the Thai military to clear the area for a temporary helicopter pad to enable a military transport helicopter to evacuate the bodies if the wreckage is found.

The Thai army chief said the second accident was entirely unexpected as the Black Hawk is high-capacity helicopter with a good safety record.

He insisted that the accident occurred neither from carelessness nor from the violation of any aviation rules. If the weather is unfavourable, he said, no one can order pilots to fly. The Black Hawk helicopter took off during clear weather on Tuesday, but the accident occurred due to unexpected fluctuations in the weather.

The Thai army Black Hawk helicopter was flying to retrieve the bodies of five military personnel killed in Saturday’s helicopter crash in Kaeng Krachan National Park.

On board were eight soldiers including the pilots and one Army TV Channel 5 cameraman.

Meanwhile, rescue operations on Wednesday successfully retrieved five charred bodies of army officers killed in the military helicopter crash last Saturday.

Gen Prayuth said the army will provide assistance to the families of the five military personnel killed in the helicopter clash July 16 in accordance with regulations. Their wives will be given jobs and education will be provided to their children, and additional help will be offered by the Ministry of the Natural Resources and Environment as the soldiers died while on duty to protect the forest. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-07-21

[cloudhopper]

In case of poor weather, the military will ask to the Royal Irrigation Department to use rainmaking chemicals to clear the skies to allow a helicopter to fly more safely.

Yeah that works every time. But only in LOS unfortunately.

[Dag]

On a wish and a prayer.....they have a fortune teller on the books also,

[djlest]

What makes me wonder

The bodies of the first crash site were only 15 km in the jungle - or 15km away from normal access...

So a ground team could have probably retrieved the bodies, or made a clearing for the choppers to arrive, or took the bodies to an easier access point for the choppers to winch...

pure speculation i know but...

Surely a black hawk or any chopper for that matter is not going to hover in bad weather or above dense rainforest while people faff about looking for bodies, then winching them up???

i would have thought - but then again like the Thais always tell me 'i think too much'

[Dag]

I find it quite strange that they have supposedly located the BH site....yet nobody knows if any survivors....in any normal country they would have winched someone down to check it out and you cannot tell me every minute of every hour thus far has not allowed this weather wise....cos they have picked up the dead guys.

[webfact]

BLACK HAWK DOWN

Search intensified for Black Hawk

By The Nation

The ground search for a missing Black Hawk helicopter and its nine occupants had nearly reached the 200-square-metre crash site before it had to be called off at nightfall yesterday due to hostile weather.

"The first team that arrived there had already managed to scour 60 to 70 square metres," Army spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said.

"But then it had to stop because the heavy rain made it impossible to see what was around," he said.

The team decided to return to camp but would definitely make another attempt today, weather allowing, he said. "If the sky is clear, we can even dispatch helicopters to the area."

Contact was lost with the Black Hawk on Tuesday and it was reported to have come down in dense jungle near the Burmese border.

The chopper was carrying eight soldiers and a TV 5 cameraman to a temporary base to collect the bodies of five soldiers killed in the first helicopter crash on Saturday.

The Huey smashed into a mountaintop in Kaeng Krachan National Park during a military mission to suppress forest encroachment.

Sansern said the Black Hawk was deployed on Tuesday because all sides had confirmed the weather was clear enough and with its superior capabilities, the Black Hawk would make it possible to bring back the bodies.

"The Black Hawk is the most modern type of aircraft we have for such situations," he said.

Air turbulence has emerged as the most likely cause of the Black Hawk crash. Sansern said the Black Hawk was not equipped with radar.

"We bought it for Bt600 million. If we wanted radar, we would have had to pay Bt20 million extra. We didn't have an adequate budget for that," he said.

Since the Black Hawk disappeared, many search-and-rescue teams have been dispatched to look for it and all the nine people on board. An antenna was even set up in the jungle yesterday to try to catch any cellphone signals from those on board, but nothing had been detected.

After cooperation was sought by Thai authorities, Burmese soldiers have been hiking through the jungle to help locate the victims.

Suriyon Photibhandit, permanent secretary of the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, and his former classmates have raised funds to offer rewards of Bt100,000 for locating any survivors and Bt50,000 for locating the crash victims' bodies.

Colonel Sirijan Nga-thong, deputy Army spokeswoman, said all the five soldiers who perished in the helicopter crash on Saturday would receive posthumous promotions to a much higher rank.

"They died on duty. They sacrificed their lives in carrying out their oath to protect the country's sovereignty and natural resources," she said.

Major Kitiphum Ekkaphan and Major Kiatisak Chin-iam will become major-generals, while Lieutenant Prachya Nuansri, |Sgt- Major Rangsan Ponsaibua and Sgt-Major Narongdej Pongnum-kool will be promoted to colonels.

Their families will receive Bt2.2million-Bt3.3million each in compensation.

"The Army will also offer other forms of assistance to the families such as the right to enter government service, monthly allowances or scholarships," she said.

The Army sponsored bathing rites for the deceased at Thung Ladya Temple in Kanchanaburi yesterday evening.

Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha presided over the ceremony.

-- The Nation 2011-07-22

[undercover]

"The first team that arrived there had already managed to scour 60 to 70 square metres," Army spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said.

"But then it had to stop because the heavy rain made it impossible to see what was around," he said.

.......................

This is unbelievable to me, an aircraft costing Bt600 million is not fitted with a distress beacon ?

Many people have a tracking device fitted to their cars or bikes so they can be found if stolen but the military have no such devices to pinpoint a crashed helicopter ?

[trainman34014]

"The first team that arrived there had already managed to scour 60 to 70 square metres," Army spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said.

"But then it had to stop because the heavy rain made it impossible to see what was around," he said.

.......................

This is unbelievable to me, an aircraft costing Bt600 million is not fitted with a distress beacon ?

Many people have a tracking device fitted to their cars or bikes so they can be found if stolen but the military have no such devices to pinpoint a crashed helicopter ?

TIT. Do you think they are going to tell us the truth about everything? Hardly likely.

[webfact]

Ill-fated Black Hawk found, one body located

A team of troops found the wreckage of ill-fated Black Hawk Friday and located a body.

The team found the Black Hawk about 300 metres from the first crash site of the Army helicopter at the Kaeng Krachan Park in Phetchaburi.

The Black Hawk wreckage was located inside Burma's border, a military source said.

-- The Nation 2011-07-22

[webfact]

Region 1 Commander Confirms One Black Hawk Death

The Region 1 Army Commander has revealed that there has only been one individual found so far at the Black Hawk crash site. The person was found next to the wreckage. He did not confirm if the person was dead or alive. The another eight passengers have not been found.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-22

[webfact]

Reports: 9 Bodies Found Near Crash Site

Media reports are indicating that all nine bodies have been found. There are reportedly no survivors in the crash.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-22

[webfact]

Army says Black Hawk helicopter did not explode and there were no bullet holes in the wreckage /TAN_Network

[cloudhopper]

The Black Hawk wreckage was located inside Burma's border, a military source said.

-- The Nation 2011-07-22<br />

Does this mean the crash occurred outside of Thai airspace? If so it would suggest that the pilots were disoriented.

[apetley]

Shame that the militaries budget didn't extend an extra 20 million bht to pay for the radar that may have saved the second crews lives. Now they will be paying much more than that in compensation and a lifetime support for the families.

[Dag]

Think about today....not tomorrow is the usual......they prolly invested in enough amulets to figure it was not worth that silly radar thingy...or a serviceable ELB

[webfact]

Nine abroad Black Hawk confirmed dead: 1st Army Area commander

The First Army Area commander Friday confirmed Friday eight soldiers and a TV cameraman abroad the ill-fated Black Hawk helicopter were killed in a crash.

Lt Udomdej Sitabutr said the crash was apparently caused by a turbulent.

He said the helicopter did not explode but was smashed apparently because the turbulent caused it to rotate down very fast.

He said nine bodies would be carried up to an Army base on top of the mountain 1,100 metres high to be transported by helicopters later.

-- The Nation 2011-07-22

[webfact]

No survivors from the Black Hawk crash

By The Nation

Rescuers on Friday found the ill-fated Black Hawk helicopter, just about 200 meters from the first helicopter crash site after it was sent to retrieve bodies from another chopper crash.

A rescue center set up for the crash confirmed that all nine passengers including Maj Gen Tawun Ruengsri and Channel 5 cameraman Sornchai Kongtannikul, were killed.

There is no trace of explosion found at the crash site the chopper may crash because of poor weather.

First Army Region commander Gen Udomdej Sitabutr told a press briefing that a ground search team spotted the Black Hawk helicopter at 11:08 am.

Members of the team used binoculars to check the crash site and found the bodies.

He said the Black Hawk was found about 200 metres northwest of the first Army helicopter that crashed on Saturday.

Contact was lost with the Black Hawk on Tuesday and it was reported to have come down in dense jungle near the Burmese border.

The chopper was carrying eight soldiers and a TV 5 cameraman to a temporary base to collect the bodies of five soldiers killed in the first helicopter crash on Saturday.

The army will start today to retrieve the bodies of the nine victims.

The Huey smashed into a mountaintop in Kaeng Krachan National Park during a military mission to suppress forest encroachment.

Udomdej said the operation to retrieve the bodies of Black Hawk victims would take nearly the same time with the operation to retrieve the five bodies from the Huey helicopter.

-- The Nation 2011-07-22

[webfact]

Nine dead in second Thai chopper crash: army

BANGKOK, July 22, 2011 (AFP) - Thai rescuers have found the bodies of all nine people on board a Thai army helicopter that went down earlier this week as it flew to the site of a previous crash, the military said Friday.

The discovery of the wreckage of the Black Hawk chopper, just metres from the first crash site, brings the toll from the two accidents to 14 in a tragic episode that the outgoing premier said had a "great impact" on morale.

The Black Hawk was found in dense forests just across the border in Myanmar on Friday morning, three days after it disappeared during a mission to recover the bodies of five soldiers killed in a helicopter accident on Saturday.

"I can confirm that all nine passengers died in the Black Hawk crash," Colonel Thammanoon Withee, spokesman for central army region told AFP.

Among the nine people on board the Black Hawk were Major General Tawan Ruengsri, commander of a border task force, and a television cameraman from army-run Channel 5. The other seven were all military personnel.

Earlier on Friday, Lieutenant General Udomdej Sritabutr, army commander of central region, announced the second chopper had been found 200 metres (660 feet) northwest from the original crash location.

In Saturday's crash, a Huey helicopter went down in bad weather during a mission to airlift troops from the remote jungle area southwest of Bangkok.

The five victims' bodies were recovered from the site on Wednesday afternoon, an army official said.

The helicopter that crashed at the weekend had been sent to collect about 35 soldiers who had been on patrol in the park as part of measures to combat deforestation.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told reporters on Wednesday that the two crashes "have had a great impact on army morale and from now on they must be very careful".

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-07-22

[David006]

Nine dead in second Thai chopper crash: army

BANGKOK, July 22, 2011 (AFP) - Thai rescuers have found the bodies of all nine people on board a Thai army helicopter that went down earlier this week as it flew to the site of a previous crash, the military said Friday.

The discovery of the wreckage of the Black Hawk chopper, just metres from the first crash site, brings the toll from the two accidents to 14 in a tragic episode that the outgoing premier said had a "great impact" on morale.

The Black Hawk was found in dense forests just across the border in Myanmar on Friday morning, three days after it disappeared during a mission to recover the bodies of five soldiers killed in a helicopter accident on Saturday.

"I can confirm that all nine passengers died in the Black Hawk crash," Colonel Thammanoon Withee, spokesman for central army region told AFP.

Among the nine people on board the Black Hawk were Major General Tawan Ruengsri, commander of a border task force, and a television cameraman from army-run Channel 5. The other seven were all military personnel.

Earlier on Friday, Lieutenant General Udomdej Sritabutr, army commander of central region, announced the second chopper had been found 200 metres (660 feet) northwest from the original crash location.

In Saturday's crash, a Huey helicopter went down in bad weather during a mission to airlift troops from the remote jungle area southwest of Bangkok.

The five victims' bodies were recovered from the site on Wednesday afternoon, an army official said.

The helicopter that crashed at the weekend had been sent to collect about 35 soldiers who had been on patrol in the park as part of measures to combat deforestation.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told reporters on Wednesday that the two crashes "have had a great impact on army morale and from now on they must be very careful".

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-07-22

seem a lot of holes in these stories...don't see any reports on other media outside of Thailand?

Someone said no EPIRBs or Radar on a military aircraft?? Would not have thought any aircraft would be pronounced airworthy nowadays without such basic navigation equipment such as Radar...?

One minute one is a Blackhawk....next a Huey ....very distinct fishy smell...guess we will never know..understandable I suppose, military business, Burma Thailand relations and all that.

..very sad for the families of the fatalities though....

[Dag]

seem a lot of holes in these stories...don't see any reports on other media outside of Thailand?

Someone said no EPIRBs or Radar on a military aircraft?? Would not have thought any aircraft would be pronounced airworthy nowadays without such basic navigation equipment such as Radar...?

One minute one is a Blackhawk....next a Huey ....very distinct fishy smell...guess we will never know..understandable I suppose, military business, Burma Thailand relations and all that.

..very sad for the families of the fatalities though....

It was 2 separate helicopters....not one or the other.

[Dag]

Think about today....not tomorrow is the usual......they prolly invested in enough amulets to figure it was not worth that silly radar thingy...or a serviceable ELB

*flame edited out*

Yes......budgetary shortcomings of 20mil on a 600mil machine for a tropical storm climate......yet no doubt more than 20 mil went into one mans pocket to secure the deals......14 people dead and I do not recall reading that kind of news in helicopter deaths ever in my country.

Edited July 22, 2011 by Scott
deleted post edited out