Missing Air Force’s helicopter found, with all three crew members dead

[webfact]

Missing Air Force’s helicopter found, with all three crew members dead



BANGKOK: -- Search and rescue teams found the missing helicopter at a deep valley adjoining Chanthaburi and Rayong provinces with all three crew members killed at the crash scene.

The search team reached the crash scene on foot at 10.23am.

The team was calling in helicopter to lift the three victims and sent them back to their base at Don Mueang Air Force base in Bangkok late today.

The crew members included a pilot, a co pilot and a mechanic.

They were flying a Huey helicopter from Don Mueang base to deliver supply to a radar station on a mountain top in Chanthaburi last Saturday.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/missing-air-forces-helicopter-found-three-crew-members-dead/


-- Thai PBS 2016-06-28

[ratcatcher]

A sad relief for the families of the crew. R.I.P.

[The Old Bull]

Condolences to the families.

[ChrisY1]

Finally and end to yet another saga involving Vietnam war series choppers............

Condolences to the family and friends of the crew.........

[Psimbo]

Finally and end to yet another saga involving Vietnam war series choppers............

Condolences to the family and friends of the crew.........

Plenty of Vietnam era helis flying- depends on how much they have been modded. Hueys still in use all over the world.

B-52 technically been flying since the mid fifties as well and you could probably find C-47/DC3.

Just because kit is technically old doesn't mean its obsolete. New stuff falls out of the sky as well.

[Rayk]

When I die I don't expect people to celebrate my death, I expect them to celebrate my life.

And hopefully with plenty of humour.

[tukkytuktuk]

[skildpadden]

Condolences but these Thai army helicopters appear to regularly crash with fatal consequences - I remember a story not too long ago with a helicopter crashing and then the next two attempts of rescue helicopters also crashed.

[tx22cb]

Well done, Search team.

However, took 3 days too long.

Why didn't the location transponder work?

[Deli]

So, his prayers haven't been heard...

[soalbundy]

When I die I don't expect people to celebrate my death, I expect them to celebrate my life.

And hopefully with plenty of humour.

I expect them to stick a large needle in me to make sure i'm really dead

[gchurch259]

Not sure they are required on these Thai Air Force aircraft. They are required on all commercial aircraft by EASA & FAA. Should be especially where aircraft fly in remote locations.

Well done, Search team.
However, took 3 days too long.
Why didn't the location transponder work?

[Jedsada3]

[tukkytuktuk]

New Photo's of the wreakage emerging online.

http://sv4.siamupdate.com/news-183482

And a Google maps image of the crash site location.

[smew]

Check the maintenance job log of this Huey and will find reason why mechanic was with the crew

[Jai Dee]

One troll post and subsequent replies have been removed from this thread.

[F4UCorsair]

Well done, Search team.

However, took 3 days too long.

Why didn't the location transponder work?

The transponder would have stopped when electrical power was cut.

You may have meant the 'emergency beacon'?

Sometimes a little knowledge is worse than none.

An ELT may not be required on (all) military aircraft, but I'm not sure on that.

Edited June 28, 2016 by F4UCorsair

[tifino]

the OP has it as an airforce helicopter, therefore a military equivalent of the Bell 204/205 series, hence in this case one of their UH1-H macines was involved.

There have been posts mentioning the army helis' , but they are not of the same manufacture series as those of the airforce; the army's being either of the mil-equivalent of the model Bell 206, 209 0r 212, which aren't Vietnam era machines

I haven't obtained the unfortunate aircraft's Tail Code as yet

[american12bthai]

Condolences but these Thai army helicopters appear to regularly crash with fatal consequences - I remember a story not too long ago with a helicopter crashing and then the next two attempts of rescue helicopters also crashed.

havent you noticed they seem to crash alot? nice easy write off.

[tx22cb]

Well done, Search team.

However, took 3 days too long.

Why didn't the location transponder work?

The transponder would have stopped when electrical power was cut.

You may have meant the 'emergency beacon'?

Sometimes a little knowledge is worse than none.

An ELT may not be required on (all) military aircraft, but I'm not sure on that.

Yes, sorry for using the incorrect technical jargon.

Thanks for clearing up my layman's term.

Roger that, wilco, over and out, and all that!

[MobileContent]

The Thai Airforce got such a huge budget including the Arned Forces and Navy but they are crashing all the time. I wonder who pockets all those cash for maintenance work.

[Glumpy]

I wonder why there's no mention of the weather conditions at the time the chopper went missing !

I also notice the comments suggesting mechanical failure.

In my experience of over 35 years of operating helicopters the majority of accidents were due to pilot error.

The Air Accident Investigators will publish a full report on this accident in due course I'm sure.

[gk10002000]

wow, given the colors and I presume lack of fire and smoke after the crash, the darn thing is almost camouflaged.

[soihok]

Oh dear.

RIP