| Date: | Wednesday 21 November 1990 |
| Time: | 18:15 |
| Type: |  de Havilland Canada DHC-8-103 |
| Owner/operator: | Bangkok Airways |
| Registration: | HS-SKI |
| MSN: | 172 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1989 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3416 hours |
| Cycles: | 2998 flights |
| Engine model: | P&W Canada PW120A |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 38 / Occupants: 38 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 5 km SW of Koh Samui Airport (USM) -
 Thailand
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Bangkok-Don Muang International Airport (BKK/VTBD) |
| Koh Samui Airport (USM/VTSM) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Bangkok Airways flight 125, a DHC-8-100, crashed in poor weather while on approach to Koh Samui Airport, Thailand, killing all 38 occupants.
Flight BKP125 left Bangkok-Don Muang International Airport at 09:58 UTC with IFR clearance to Koh Samui Airport at FL210. Samui Tower was contacted at 10:45 and the crew were told runway 17 was the active runway and that the weather was fair with rain southwest of the field. Wind was later reported at 030 deg/10 knots and the runway was changed to runway 35. On base leg for runway 35 the flight continued ahead instead of turning right for finals. A missed approach procedure was executed with flaps still fully extended and both pilots were confused about which way to go. Samui Tower instructed them to turn left because of a mountain on the right side. BKP 125 entered an area of heavy rain and rolled to the left. Both pilots were disoriented as the aircraft continued to descend in a left wing down attitude. The aircraft eventually impacted into a coconut plantation at a 147 knots speed, 36deg nose-down and 75deg left roll.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot experienced spatial disorientation which resulted in improper control of the aircraft. Factors which contributed to accident were as follows: (1) The pilot flew the aircraft into bad weather condition which had very little or no visual reference; (2) Channelized attention occurred when all of the pilots concentration were focused on looking for the airport and neglecting to do proper cross checking or monitoring the aircraft attitude; (3) Confusion of pilots, poor teamwork or poor cockpit co-ordination in monitoring the flight instruments might contribute to loss of situational awareness and improper control of the aircraft through their false senses."
Sources:
ICAO Circular 263-AN/157 (231-245)
Location
Images:
photo (c) via Werner Fischdick; Bangkok-Don Muang International Airport (BKK/VTBD); November 1989
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-Oct-2024 18:55 | ASN | Updated [Narrative, ] |
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