Accident description
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| Status: | |
| Date: | 11 DEC 1998 |
| Time: | 19:10 |
| Type: | Airbus A310-204 |
| Operator: | Thai Airways International |
| Registration: | HS-TIA |
| C/n / msn: | 415 |
| First flight: | 1986-03-03 (12 years 10 months) |
| Engines: | 2 General Electric CF6-80C2A2 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 14 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 90 / Occupants: 132 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 101 / Occupants: 146 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | ca 4 km SW of Surat Thani (Thailand)
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| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Bangkok-Don Muang International Airport (BKK/VTBD), Thailand |
| Surat Thani Airport (URT/VTSB), Thailand | |
| Flightnumber: | 261 |
Thai Flight 261 left Bangkok at 17:40 for a 1:55min flight to Surat Thani. Weather in the Surat Thani area was poor with limited visibility and heavy rainfall. The Airbus was on it's third landing attempt when it stalled and crashed about three to five km southwest of the airport in a rubber plantation.
PROBABLE CAUSE: Spatial disorientation when the nose pitched up sharply during a night time approach in stormy weather. Sources:
» Bangkok Post May 4, 2001 - Pilot error, bad weather to blame
» Bangkok Post Thursday 29 November 2001 - Officials want Airbus firm to share blame
Sample newspaper article from Newspaperarchive.com
Statistics
4th loss of a Airbus A310
2nd worst accident involving a Airbus A310 (at the time)
5th worst accident involving a Airbus A310 (currently)
2nd worst accident in Thailand (at the time)
2nd worst accident in Thailand (currently) » figures explained
2nd worst accident involving a Airbus A310 (at the time)
5th worst accident involving a Airbus A310 (currently)
2nd worst accident in Thailand (at the time)
2nd worst accident in Thailand (currently) » figures explained
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Bangkok-Don Muang International Airport (BKK/VTBD) to Surat Thani Airport (URT/VTSB) as the crow flies is 552 km (345 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
Distance from Bangkok-Don Muang International Airport (BKK/VTBD) to Surat Thani Airport (URT/VTSB) as the crow flies is 552 km (345 miles).
