Flight CX700Z Accident: Singapore Airlines Flight from Bangkok to Hong Kong (VR-HFZ)

Flight Details and Timeline Flight CX700Z was a scheduled international service operating from Singapore to Hong Kong, with an en-route stop at Bangkok. During a 55-minute stop in Bangkok, 68 passengers and their baggage were offloaded, while 35 passengers, their baggage, and 35,000 lbs of JP-1 fuel were loaded. The aircraft departed Bangkok at 0455 GMT for Hong Kong, following airway Green 67 at flight level 290. The flight initially proceeded normally, maintaining routine radio contact with Bangkok Air Traffic Control and, from 0542 GMT, with Saigon Air Traffic Control. The final message from the aircraft was received at 0554 GMT, reporting a position over reporting point PE5 at flight level 290 at 0553 GMT, with an estimated time over reporting point XVK at 0606 GMT. ## Loss of Contact and Search When no further messages were received, Saigon Air Traffic Control attempted to contact the aircraft at 0620 GMT without success. At 0640 GMT, requests for information were sent to Hong Kong and Taipei Air Traffic Control, yielding negative results. The Distress Phase was initiated at 0715 GMT, and DETRESFA was signalled to Tan Son Nhut Rescue Coordination Center for action. ## Crash Site and Aftermath At 0755 GMT, the Rescue Coordination Center informed Saigon Air Traffic Control that a Convair-type aircraft had crashed approximately 30 nautical miles southeast of the Pleiku TACAN beacon. Two helicopter pilots who reached the site while the wreckage was still burning identified the aircraft as VR-HFZ. They recovered two bodies from the burning wreckage and transported them to Pleiku. The aircraft was totally destroyed, and none of the 81 occupants survived the crash.