Aircraft stall and crash during supply mission in Laos

3 fatalities • Tha Tham Bleung, Laos • Flight

A cargo flight departing from Vientiane-Wattay Airport crashed during a supply mission after experiencing an aerodynamic stall during a maneuver.

What happened

A flight operating out of Vientiane-Wattay Airport was conducting a logistics mission to deliver 2,780 pounds of food supplies. The aircraft was carrying a total of four people, consisting of two crew members and two passengers.

As the aircraft approached its designated drop zone while flying beneath the cloud layer, the pilot-in-command executed a sharp left-hand turn. During this maneuver, the aircraft entered a stall and subsequently crashed. The accident resulted in three fatalities and one survivor among the occupants.

Findings

Preliminary assessments suggest that the crash was triggered by insufficient airspeed during the final turn, which led to the loss of lift and the subsequent stall.

Probable cause

The aircraft entered an aerodynamic stall due to inadequate speed maintained during a steep banking maneuver.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1972-07-25 De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter accident near Tha Tham Bleung, Laos?

A cargo flight departing from Vientiane-Wattay Airport crashed during a supply mission after experiencing an aerodynamic stall during a maneuver.

Were there any fatalities in the 1972-07-25 De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 3 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1972-07-25 involved a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter, registration N5662, operated by Air America, at Tha Tham Bleung, Laos.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The aircraft entered an aerodynamic stall due to inadequate speed maintained during a steep banking maneuver.

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