5 fatalities

1974-10-15: Curtiss C-46 Commando (XW-PBW) — Royal Air Lao — Laos, Laos

Laos, LaosFlight

On October 15, 1974, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registration XW-PBW) operated by Royal Air Lao was involved in an aviation accident near Laos, Laos in flight. 5 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The cause remains undetermined due to the failure to locate any wreckage from the aircraft. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781231044Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft carrying five people disappeared during a cargo mission over Laos, with no wreckage located.

What happened

A flight departing from Vientiane-Wattay Airport vanished under unspecified conditions. The aircraft was operating a mission to deliver various food supplies to an unidentified drop zone located within the territory of Laos.

The crew consisted of two pilots and three cargo handlers. During the transit, the plane disappeared approximately 120 km northwest of Vientiane. Following the disappearance, search efforts were unable to locate any debris or wreckage from the aircraft.

All five occupants are presumed to have perished in the incident.

Findings

No specific details regarding the cause of the disappearance have been established because the wreckage was not found.

Probable cause

The cause remains undetermined due to the failure to locate any wreckage from the aircraft.