Aircraft Collision with Mountain Terrain in Laos (XW-PDL)

Incident Overview and Departure Details The aircraft departed Vientiane-Wattay Airport at 0935 local time, with Luang Prabang in the north as its intended destination. The flight was operating under a lease arrangement with Taiwan Aviation. No specific aircraft type, registration, or operator name beyond the leasing company is provided in the source material. During the approach phase to the destination, the crew encountered poor weather conditions that prevented them from locating the airport. The captain elected to follow a holding pattern while attempting to navigate the situation. The aircraft subsequently struck the slope of a mountain that was shrouded in clouds. The wreckage was located several hours after the impact. All 16 occupants on board were killed in the accident. The official investigation determined that the probable cause was controlled flight into terrain while flying in limited visibility due to poor weather conditions.