Aircraft Crash at Mergui Airport During Poor Weather (XY-AET)

Accident Overview and Impact Location During a descent to Mergui Airport, the flight crew encountered poor weather conditions characterized by heavy rain. On short final, the aircraft lost height and struck the ground approximately 250 metres short of runway 18. The impact tore off the undercarriage, and the aircraft slid for a few dozen metres before coming to rest in a 1.2-metre-deep excavation located short of the runway threshold. ## Casualties The accident resulted in eight passenger fatalities. An additional 16 passengers were seriously injured. ## Official Findings The official investigation reported that the crew initiated the approach while maintaining visual contact with the runway. At an altitude of 1,500 feet, visual contact with the runway was lost due to heavy rain. The aircraft then lost height and struck the ground in a relatively flat attitude. Horizontal visibility at the time of the accident was estimated at 1,500 metres, and the investigation noted that it is possible the aircraft encountered windshear.