On September 2, 1969, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) (registration 248) operated by Royal Lao Air Force was involved in an aviation accident near Pakse, Laos during landing or approach. 35 people were killed. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft crashed near Pakse Airport during a descent in severe weather, resulting in the deaths of all 35 people on board.
What happened
During an approach to Pakse Airport, the flight crew encountered extremely poor meteorological conditions. Due to the severity of the weather, air traffic controllers directed the aircraft to enter a holding pattern as landing was deemed unfeasible at that time.
Shortly after receiving these instructions, the aircraft crashed a few kilometers from the airport perimeter. The impact occurred under circumstances that remain undetermined. There were 35 fatalities recorded in the accident, which included both crew members and civilian passengers.
Findings
The flight was operating in very bad weather conditions during the descent phase.
The aircraft was unable to complete its landing attempt due to visibility or weather constraints.
The exact cause of the crash remains unknown at this time.
A SkyWalk Join't 3 paraglider crashed into the ground near Las Vizcachas, Chile, on September 1, 2024. The pilot and passenger sustained serious spinal…
PARAPENTE (ULTRALIVIANO NO MOTORIZADO)·2024-09-01DGAC Chile
A Cessna 172N struck electrical cables while on final approach to land at Aucó Aerodrome in Chile. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft sustained damage…
A Bombardier DHC-8-402 suffered a tail strike during landing at Puerto Williams on September 9, 2024. All 76 occupants were unharmed, but the aircraft…
A MYD JS-MD 3 glider veered off the runway and struck a wall at Vitacura Aerodrome on January 6, 2025. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft sustained…
A recreational paraglider flight in Puchuncaví, Chile, ended with the pilot sustaining serious injuries after a rapid descent and impact with a hillside on…
PARAPENTE (ULTRALIVIANO NO MOTORIZADO)·2025-03-29DGAC Chile
A Tecnam P2006T landed on its belly at an aerodrome in Poland after the crew failed to confirm landing gear deployment. The incident resulted in no injuries…