Incident Overview
Date: Tuesday 25 July 1967
Aircraft Type: Douglas DC-3C
Owner/operator: Vha-Akat, lsf China Airlines
Registration Number: XW-PDL
Location: 25 km SE of Luang Prabang –
ÿ Laos
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 16 / Occupants: 16
Component Affected: AircraftAircraft
Category: Accident
On October 28, 1967, a DC-3 aircraft crashed in the mountains near Luang Prabang, Laos, following a flight from Vientiane to Luang Prabang. The aircraft was found to have crashed due to a strong downdraft resulting in a collision with a mountain ridge. The probable cause was a collision with a mountain ridge.On October 28, 1967, a DC-3 aircraft crashed in the mountains near Luang Prabang, Laos, following a flight from Vientiane to Luang Prabang. The aircraft was found to have crashed due to a strong downdraft resulting in a collision with a mountain ridge. The probable cause was a collision with a mountain ridge.
Description
The DC-3 took off from Vientiane at 09:35 h for a flight to Luang Prabang. Bad weather forced the crew to overfly Luang Prabang at 10:35 and enter a holding pattern to wait for better weather The wreckage was found on 28 October 1967 the mountains of Phou Pha Bon. The aircraft was later found to have crashed in the mountains. PROBABLE CAUSE: “The aircraft struck a mountain ridge during flight. The probable cause of the accident was a strong downdraft in the area of the peak where, because of the weather conditions, the aircraft encountered an area of extreme turbulence which prevented the pilot from effectively regaining control of the aircraft and regaining height.”
Primary Cause
Strong downdraft caused by extreme turbulence near a mountain peak, preventing pilot control and recovery.Strong downdraft caused by extreme turbulence near a mountain peak, preventing pilot control and recovery.Share on:
